Keep the Faith
by H.J. Glory
Summary: Sequel to ‘Holds Me Together.’ Living in the real world juggling jobs, family, social lives and kids is hard enough but can the fab four hold off the onslaught of attacks Ryan has planned for them after his years in seclusion?
1. The Past Is Never Far

**Story Title: Keep the Faith**

**Rating: T-M as always just in case.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. **

**Summary: **Sequel to 'Holds Me Together.' Living in the real world juggling jobs, family, social lives and kids is hard enough but can the fab four hold off the onslaught of attacks Ryan has planned for them after his years in seclusion?

**

* * *

Chapter 1 – The Past Is Never Far**

**March 13th, 2015**

"Good Evening, Cappy," Grace offered a warm smile as she entered her and Luke's apartment building. They had moved to New York by the beginning of November, 2012. By then they had already gotten married, in August, on a hillside at sunset. Luke had told Grace he would be highly offended if she wore a white fluffy wedding dress, so she opted for a long flowing shiny black dress. Luke, in turn, had worn a white tux. When she'd walked up the isle for the nondenominational ceremony, she'd had to work hard not to laugh at hi, donning dark sunglasses like he was James Bond. At the reception, they danced to 'Celebration' by Kool & The Gang. It had confused pretty much everyone but Joan and Adam, who had laughed heartily when they heard it playing.

Shortly after returning from their honeymoon, which was a cruise to the Bahamas, Grace had been offered a partnership in a highly reputable firm that was looking for younger and fresh faced hard working lawyers. Luke had gladly agreed to relocate to New York. They had lived with Joan and Adam for two weeks before the perfect place had opened up just 4 blocks Joan and Adam's place.

"You're looking very lively today, Grace," Cappy, the lobby security guards said from behind the desk. Cappy was Grace' favorite person in the building, aside form her family of course. He was always smiling and happy, and greeted everyone by name. His real name was Evan, but he had been a naval captain in Vietnam. He had retired early after being a prison guard for 25 years afterwards, and winning the lottery but when his son fell on hard times, he'd spent most of the money helping his son's family and so he got a job as the building's security guard in 1999 just to make sure that ends would always meet. Grace had taken to calling him Cappy easily. He was on from 6am until 8pm with a one hour break at 1pm when the manager took over his position. Grace made sure to bring him coffee and dinner leftovers often.

"I know," Grace sighed resting the large bag of Chinese take-out she had on the counter as she stopped to talk to him.

"It's a little cold out to be going outside in just a sweatshirt and that ragged old coat you know," He told her sternly. Grace had to smile at his comment. It was the kind of comment that a father of 7 couldn't help but make and rightfully so, as it was blistering cold despite the fact that it was middle of March. It felt more like the middle of January. Grace had ventured out to get the take out in an old ragged pair tan denim cargo jeans, a light purple t-shirt with the word 'mystified' crackled and stamped across the front of it with fake paint drips as if it were still drying. Over that she had on Luke's old beat up gray MIT hooded sweatshirt and her tattered leather jacket over top of it but open. "Especially a young mother such as yourself," Cappy nodded again sternly. Grace blushed. "How are the babies?" He continued, his eyes light up. Cappy had a total of 19 grandchildren.

Grace flushed again. She still wasn't used to exchanging conversations about kids to anyone besides Joan and Adam really. "Lara's not sure if the baby's a toy or a new pet," She said with a slight chuckle of laughter. "And the baby's favorite thing to do is hurl on Luke," She finished. Cappy let out a hearty laughter. "But, of course that might be because his favorite thing to do is lift her up over his head and play right after she's done eating."

"He didn't learn his lesson after Lara then?" Cappy laughed again as Grace shook her head.

"Well, I better get back up there before he sends a search party," Grace picked up the bag. She opened it and pulled out one of the containers and some chopsticks. "This is for you," She smiled and handed it to him.

Cappy opened the container and looked in. He face lit up. "A woman after mine own heart, if only you weren't so young," He sighed contentedly. "How much do I owe you?" He asked.

"Please, like I'm that cruel," Grace waved her hand as she walked to the elevator.

"Thank you darlin'!" Cappy's southern accent could be heard as the doors shut in the elevator.

* * *

Once she'd reached the 8th floor, Grace took a right and headed for her and Luke's apartment. She walked in and up the short hallway, turning right into the kitchen.

"Got the food," She put the bag on the counter of the window cutout about the sink that looked into the spacious living room before shrugging her jacket off to a nearby hook and gathering two glasses and digging in the fridge for two soda cans.

"Why didn't you come get me? I could've gotten the food," Luke said from the couch.

Grace carried the cups and cans in her arm and walked around towards the living room, grabbing the bag and bringing it with her into the living room. She put it all on the rounding coffee table with it's soft, kid-safe edges and then sat on the floor with her back against the couch. Files, papers and photos lay strewn about the couch and the table, which had Grace's laptop open to a few audio recordings. Luke was enthralled in reading some of it.

"You were putting Lara to sleep," Grace shrugged. "It was just next door. I've hardly been out of this apartment since Brynn was born," She continued. "No big," She assured as Luke put the file he was reading down next to her laptop and landed a kiss on the side of her head.

"Okay," He said.

"Sick isn't it?" Grace indicated the file he'd been reading as she dug into her lo mein with some chopsticks while Luke reached in for a container of it himself. Grace settled herself back between Luke's legs, leaning her head against his knee as she chewed her noodles.

"You're totally getting scammed on that one," Luke said around a mouthful of noodles.

Grace moved and leaned her head back to look at him upside down. "What do you mean?"

"You're defending the daughter for killing the step dad right?" Luke asked her.

Grace nodded sadly. "Yeah. She's 13 and they're trying her as an adult because she's a genius and is a senior in high school. They said that clearly means she knows right from wrong. But the dirt bag abused her," Grace's blood started to flow quickly as her anger grew.

"Right, I understand that," Luke continued, "But, I think the DA should be going after the mother and prosecuting her," He said.

Grace lifted her head and shifted now to look Luke directly in the face, alarmed and confused. "Are you crazy? The woman's husband sexually abused her daughter for four months! She's devastated!" Grace argued.

Luke shook his head, "No, she set it up to look that way actually," He said after swallowing another mouthful.

Grace stared at Luke, astounded and perplexed. "How in the hell did you pick _that_ up from reading a file?" She demanded.

Luke offered a slight smile, impressed with himself. "So you have the mother, a bagel shop owner in SoHo. Everyday this sleazy looking high school drop out turned garbage man coming in to beg her to date him," Luke started in story form.

"Go on," Grace nodded.

"He hits the jackpot for 20 million, and three months later they're married, at which point the mother learns, as she says in her interview, that he was a convicted sex offender who committed statutory rape-,"

"He was 21 and the girl was 15, that doesn't mean he was a pedophile," Grace countered.

"Let me finish. So eventually, Scumbag starts assaulting the girl, but only after he wills all of his assets to mommy and daughter in a trust fund, cap that off with a 5 million dollar life insurance policy. There's your motif," He shrugged.

"You're trying to tell me that this case should totally be about the mother because of lottery winnings and life insurance?" Grace asked with a raised eyebrow

"Money is the root…" Luke began.

"That's circumstantial at best," Grace countered.

Luke shook his head. "You're telling me, that a 13 year old genius is smart enough to graduate high school, but didn't know that stabbing her step dad in the chest with a butcher knife 3 times would kill him?" He smirked. "Besides, look at the dates. She killed him two days after the life insurance policy went into effect."

"Brain, they found evidence of repeated sexual abuse on the girl, not to mention they found his bodily fluids on her after the mother called the police," Grace stated.

"I never said the guy didn't abuse her. I simply said the mother set it up that he was abusing her," He opened a soda and drank some down. "Also, if you read the report about the knife, there's blood on the knife itself but not the handle. There's also no fingerprint. Didn't the girl had blood on her hands when she was found? She said in her interview that it got on her after the second time she stabbed him and that it was all over her and the knife," He spoke up.

Grace's eyes widened. She put her container down and began digging through papers. Her eyes scanned a few pages quickly. She was clearly in shock. She looked at Luke and then back at the papers.

"How did I miss this?" She asked breathlessly.

"Easy," Luke smiled, leaning down so his face was near hers. "You have two little daughters…you want to help that little girl," He told her. "And who could blame you? Her own mother subjected her to torture for money," He shrugged.

Grace shuddered and shook her head.

"I'm sure there's more proof in there, now that you know what you're looking for," He spoke up. Grace dropped the papers into her lap and took Luke's face in her hands, dragging him to her and kissed him for a long few moments.

"You…are a genius," She told him when she'd pulled apart, leaving him gaping at her in shock before she hopped off the floor and went to get the phone.

* * *

"Gabriel William Rove…" Joan's stern voice made the 4 year old freeze in his tracks. He had chocolate all over his face from an Oreo and milk session gone awry and had managed to escape from Joan's clutches of cleaning him because his little sister Mac, who was two months shy of a year old had succeeded in throwing a handful of spaghetti-o's across the room where it splattered against the wall into an orange gooey mess, causing Mackenzie to laugh in delight. While Joan was cleaning that up, Gabe had gone back to drawing on construction paper on the coffee table. After a few moments he'd grown tired of the paper and had started constructing a new piece of art using a crayon and the coffee table.

Now, he looked up at Joan with big, round, fearful eyes, knowing he'd been caught in the act after she and Adam had reprimanded him repeatedly for drawing on the wooden tables. Joan stood with her hands on her hips nearby and a stern look on her face. She knew that Adam could get the crayon off, because he had before, but she was wearing thin on patience. The look on Gabe's face was, however, was so priceless Joan felt herself melting.

"What have we told you about coloring the table?" She asked, trying not to crack a smile and laugh at the bits of cookie on his face and the speck of cream that was smashed to the tip of his nose, which looked more and more like Adam's nose everyday. Joan tapped her foot for emphasis.

"Daddy says…arts stuff shouldn't be centered!" Gabe declared. "Don't center me mommy!" He said, standing up straight and pouting, putting his hands firmly on his hips to mimic her. He had said it so seriously that Joan could no longer contain herself.

"That's it, come here you!" She rushed forward as she began laughing and captured Gabe before he could run away, bringing him to the floor with her, in her lap as she started tickling him.

Gabe squealed in delight as he tried to wriggle out of her gasp. "NO FAIR MOMMY! YOU BIGGER THAN ME!" He gasped through giggles.

"Oh, tickling's no fair now?" She asked. Gabe nodded, still giggling madly. "Then kissed it is!" She cheered, pulling him up and leaving as many quick, short kisses into his cheek and neck as she could.

"NOOOOO!" Gabe protested, still giggling, and tried to stop her.

"And just WHAT is going on here?" Adam appeared in the entryway of the apartment. He tried to look stern as he crossed his arms and lowered his eyes.

Joan mocked fear. "Uh-oh…Daddy caught us in a kiss fight again…" She said dramatically sarcastic. Gabe's eyes widened seriously.

"Are you trying to steal my woman again, boy?" Adam took a few heavy, exaggerated steps forward as if he were a cowboy walking into a saloon about to get into a bar fight, placing his hands at his hips.

"No Daddy, no!" Gabe shook his head vigorously.

"So it's mommy's fault then?" Adam demanded. Gabe nodded.

Joan's face turned to a look of shock and innocence. "Honest, Daddy, I just couldn't help myself, what with his Oreo mustache…you know I just can't resist and Oreo mustache…" Joan leaned in and left a loud wet kiss on Gabe's cheek. Gabe looked alarmed as Adam feigned a look of anger.

"No mommy! Stop!" He begged.

"That's it!" Adam dove for them before either could move. Both Gabe and Joan let out a squeal of shock as he pinned them down. "I'm just going to have to get you back with some kissing of my own!" He grinned before diving in and kissing Gabe's cheek repeatedly.

"No Daddy! Kiss mommy!" He pleaded.

"I should kiss mommy?" Adam asked. Gabe nodded vigorously. Adam nodded. "Okay," He smiled and leaned in kissing Joan for a prolonged couple of seconds.

"Ew! Not like that!" Gabe covered his eyes.

"Oh, you think that's yucky huh?" Adam stood, scooping Gabe up easily into his arms, tickling him as he did. Gabe let out a few giggles as Adam brought him into the kitchen to clean him up.

Joan's laughter was just calming down when the phone began to ring. She picked it up quickly before it could wake Mac up; who had fallen asleep halfway through Joan's clean up of the mushy spaghetti-o's.

"Hello?" She asked into the receiver, a few lingering giggles escaped her.

"And how are things on the Rove home front?" Grace replied.

Joan offered a small laugh. "A mess of Oreos and spaghetti-o's," She replied.

"Sounds like nasty-o's," Grace stated, almost laughing herself.

"And how are my nieces?" Joan asked as Adam came back out with Gabe close at his heels.

"Is that Grace?" Adam questioned. Joan nodded.

"Both sleeping, which is very rare I might add," Grace said.

"Don't jinx yourself," Joan warned. "So what's up?"

"Don't forget to invite her out to dinner on the 17th, so that me and Luke can set up the surprise party," Adam said in a hushed voice. Joan waved a hand and nodded.

"SURPRISE!" Gabe yelled. Adam quickly and carefully clamped a hand over Gabe's mouth, squatting down to be eyelevel with his son. He looked at Joan to see if Grace had heard.

"Sounds like the monster's still awake," Grace commented with a chuckle.

"Um, yeah Adam's about to give him a bath," Joan commented. "What did you say you needed?" she tried to change the subject.

"I need your help with a case," Grace began to explain.

"What did Daddy say about yelling surprise?" Adam whispered to Gabe.

"Not until Gigi's party," Gabe recited perfectly.

Adam nodded. "That's right," He stood up and took Gabe's hand. "Let's get you clean, kid," He started to lead Gabe towards the hallway for the bathroom. Gabe reached out a hand out towards Joan.

"I wanna say goodnight!" He pleaded.

"Hold on one second Grace," Joan said into the phone. She leaned down and gave Gabe the phone.

"HI GIGI!" He said loudly. Gabe had never associated Grace with the name Aunt Grace. He had figured out that her full name was Grace Girardi and had somehow, at the age of two and a half picked up and started calling her Gigi. It had surprised nearly everyone when she hadn't cringed at it and merely accepted it. Everyone knew however, that if anyone else were to call her that, she would probably protest and not speak to them for a while.

Grace laughed. "Hi Gabe," She replied. "What are you still doing up?" She asked.

"Daddy's gonna give me a bath!" Gabe told her. "I can draw on the walls in there!" He cheered.

"Make sure you draw me a masterpiece then," Grace told him.

"Okay!" Gabe said happily.

"Say goodnight," Grace heard Joan's muffled voice nearby through the receiver.

"Goodnight Gigi!" Gabe said promptly.

"Goodnight Gabe," Grace replied. Adam picked Gabe up to avoid any further distractions on the way to the bathroom.

"So, tell me about this case," Joan said as she walked over and sat down at the dinning room table. She grabbed a nearby notebook and pen and pulled her reading glasses on as she started taking notes while Grace explained.

* * *

"So does 25 feel old to you?" Joan asked Grace. The two of them were in the middle of a crowded Bar & Grill that was just far enough away from both of their apartments to warrant a cab ride.

"Mmmm…only in the middle of the night when I'd like to just fall asleep for more than an hour at a time," Grace nodded. She looked around. "Why exactly, did we pick to go out to dinner on St. Patrick's Day?"

"Because it's your birthday, silly!" Joan smiled and took a sip of her drink.

Grace smirked. "The irony in that is enough to make my head spin," Grace said as she took a gulp of her water.

"What did Luke give you?" Joan quickly changed the subject. Grace looked at Joan suspiciously.

"I told him not to get me anything," She stated. "He said he'd give me my present when we get home."

Joan smiled nervously. "Well, I bet it's to die for?" She shrugged.

Grace narrowed her eyes at Joan and crossed her arms. "All right Rove, out with it, what's going on?" Grace demanded.

"Going on?" Joan let out a nervous laugh, "Nothing's going on, Grace! Don't be ridiculous!"

Grace continued to look at Joan suspiciously. "Right…I don't believe you for one second…"

"So how did it go with that case?" Joan cleared her throat.

"The DA dropped the case against the girl provided she's given proper mental and physical treatment. They have a solid case against the mother, since the girl's going to testify against her," Grace switched gears.

Joan smiled. "That's excellent," She said. "I can't believe anyone would…"

"I know," Grace nodded, staring down at the rest of her dinner. Joan asked the waiter for the check before Grace could demand to pay. In return, Grace glowered at Joan.

"It's your birthday; you're not allowed to pay!" Joan defended. After a few more minutes, the left a tip and went outside. Grace threw her hand up to hail a taxi as Joan dialed her phone to call Adam and let him know they were on their way back.

"He's going to see you in like 5 minutes, dude," Grace said once they'd climbed in and she gave the address for her building.

"Well, if something happens on the way, he'll know when to worry," Joan defended weakly. Grace was still suspicious. Joan was nervous. Maybe a surprise party wasn't the best idea for Grace.

* * *

"You…are so dead…" Grace whispered at the end of the night as she carefully laid Brynn down into her bassinet, which was in the corner of her and Luke's room by a changing table. The one month old barely stirred but to clench her fist and then relax is again as Grace covered her up with a blanket. She ran a weary hand through her hair and left her hand to rub the back of her neck. Luke watched her for a moment as she gazed down at their baby.

"You know you had fun…" Luke said just as quietly as he stepped over to her and started to rub her shoulders. He frowned when he felt how tense the muscles near her shoulder blades were. Grace almost gasped as he rubbed at them, arching her shoulders and roughly placing her head back against his collarbone at the jolt of pain that tingled down her spine. "Sorry…" Luke apologized. Grace simply shook her head and yawned.

"I have to be in court at 8," She sighed, glancing at the clock. 12:35 glowed back at her in thick green numbers. She closed her eyes as she felt Luke kiss the back of her head. Before either of them spoke again they heard Larissa start to cry over the monitor. Grace's head felt and she was about to head for Lara's room when she felt Luke's pull on her shoulders.

"Go to sleep," He told her, swooping in for a quick kiss before heading out of the room.

Grace waited a moment before she complied. Once she heard Luke's quiet, calming voice over the monitor, she started to change from her clothes into her pajamas consisting of Luke's old alien boxers and long sleeved long john shirt.

"Shh, don't cry, Lara," Luke almost sung quietly. His voice floated through the room over the baby monitor. "Phew…now that's a stinky baby…"

Grace rolled her eyes as she listened to Luke fumbling about, presumably changing her diaper. She heard him blow a couple of raspberries on her stomach and Lara granted him a few giggles for it, even giggling out a few "Dada's" as well.

"Whoa…" Luke uttered. "I don't care what mommy says, it is entirely impossible for those little organs to produce that much poop…" He spoke up.

Grace had to covered her mouth to keep from laughing and waking Brynn up. She continued to listen as she lay in bed under the covers as Luke started to hum to her. Grace knew he was rocking her back to sleep. She wondered exactly how she'd gotten from finishing school to being a married lawyer with two daughters under the age of two in such a short time. Granted, she was very well aware of physically how they'd arrived at this point. Everything just seemed to go by so fast. It wasn't that Grace was unhappy. Actually it was quite the opposite.

She was happy, but something seemed to keep tugging at the back of her mind in the quiet moments when she had time to think. How long, given their track record, could things keep going so well? Grace's mind briefly floated to thoughts about Ryan. She shook her head, willing the thoughts to go away. There had been no trace of him for so many years now that sometimes Grace felt a fleeting moment of calm safety. It never lasted long. Ever since she had found out that she was pregnant with Larissa, she had been looking over her shoulder more and more.

The thoughts lingered as she felt the bed move. Easily she curled over into Luke, who had already opened his arms and pulled her in.

"I still think you should lay off work for longer," Luke said quietly, breaking the silence as he ran his fingers through her hair at the back of her neck.

"I can't just stop. Marla Smith already had to take over a case when I went into labor," Grace commented. "It's just this last case and then I'm completely done for at least two months," She promised even though she knew Luke would still be worried. He simply nodded. Grace resolved to nestle her face against Luke's collarbone. She was losing the fight against sleep, especially with the warmth of Luke against her and the steady rhythm of his heart beat in her ear. She felt darkness overcoming her and the last lingering memory before she fell into a deep sleep was Luke's lips on her forehead.

* * *

"What are you doing back here so early?" Grace's secretary, Gina asked.

"Jury came back in 53 minutes," Grace said, taking a sip of her coffee and picking up the messages and letters from Gina's desk. "What?" She asked when Gina looked at her expectantly.

"Pictures?" Gina, who was a 23 year old college student, just beginning her law school career, asked. She'd been working for Grace for almost a year now. Grace smirked. She reached a hand into the leather briefcase she had and produced a handful of pictures. Grace had only been in during off hours to pick up documents. Mostly she'd been at the court house and at home, resting and taking care of the girls. Gina squealed in delight at the pictures.

"You saw them yesterday, G," Grace commented, amused.

"I know but they're just so cute!" Gina couldn't help herself. Grace fought the urge to roll her eyes, mostly because she agreed.

"Unless it's the trio, hold the calls, okay?" Grace picked up her case and headed into her office as Gina nodded, thumbing through the pictures again.

Twenty minutes later, Grace's intercom buzzed. "Yeah?" She called to Gina through the phone.

"Mr. Wells is here to see you," Gina replied.

Grace furrowed her eyebrow for a moment. She didn't have a meeting with Wells, the head partner of the firm. He was mostly in charge of higher new lawyers. "Send him on in then," Grace replied.

She looked up as Wells entered with someone in tow. Grace stood to her feet. Alarm shone on her face at the man standing behind Andrew Wells. She almost glared at him but refrained, trying to compose herself as Andrew smiled at her, looking up from a file in his hand.

"Good morning Grace, how are you feeling?" Andrew asked.

"I'm Good, Andy," She cleared her throat. "What's going on?" She asked, looking from Andy to the other man, who stood, almost timidly off to the side, looking at his shoes guiltily.

"I'm assuming you know Mr. Graham here?" Andy replied, looking behind him. "As, he's put you down as a reference…" He looked at Grace for a reply.

"Yes," Grace glanced at the man, "I know Collier," She spoke up.

"Excellent," Andy smiled. He looked at Collier. "Judging from all of this I'd say you'd make an excellent addition to the firm. I'll call you with the details later on in the afternoon Mr. Graham," Andy reached out and shook Collier's hand. He looked at Grace. "Give the family my love," He waved and left as Grace nodded.

"Sorry, I'll just-," Collier made a move to leave.

"Don't you even think about it," Grace pointed to a chair on the other side of her desk. Collier obediently sat down. Grace walked around and shut the door before heading back to her seat. She stared Collier down for a few minutes. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Collier was almost sweating. "I-I'm trying to get a job…" He coughed nervously.

"Of all the law firms in the country, you're trying here?" She asked him pointedly. This was not sitting well with her. The last time she'd seen him had been at her mother's funeral, keeping his distance. She had seen glimpses of him around campus of course, but mostly he never responded when she tried to talk to him. "What is going on Collier?" Grace asked. He looked at her and squirmed at the hurt look in her eyes.

"I was sent…" He looked down.

"Sent to what?" Grace quizzed.

Collier's eyes welled slightly. He looked like a caged wild animal; unsure and scared about new confinement. "To prepare you…" He forced out.

Grace's face had drained as various ideas ran through her mind. "Prepare me for what? Cut the cryptic crap," She demanded, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

"For what's to come," He spoke up wearily. "I can't…" He frowned deeply, "I can't give you much detail right now, Grace…" He said. She looked at him, angry. "I'm sorry…I want to. If I do, he'll send me away from you again…there are rules, Grace. I have to follow them."

"What's coming?" Grace asked calmly. Collier shook his head.

"Grace I…" He spotted a letter on her desk and he stood up slowly. "I have to go…you'll understand more…after you read that…" He pointed at an envelope. Grace looked down and picked up the letter. There was no return address but the postmark was from Somewhere in Canada that Grace had never heard of. Grace looked up to ask Collier if he knew who it was from, but Collier had already left. Grace felt uneasy now as she opened the letter and unfolded the paper, beginning to read.

* * *

"Hey, thanks again for watching them," Luke said as he entered Joan and Adam's apartment. Adam spent his daytime mostly at home, so he had agreed to watch Lara and Brynn when Luke and Grace were at work for now.

"Not a problem," Adam assured as he gathered the girls for Luke. Luke accepted Brynn from him and placed her into the carrier that was attached to the strolled. He bundled her up snuggly and then gathered Lara into his arm, resting her at his hip.

"I'll give you a call later to see what's up for the weekend," Luke said to Adam.

"Sounds good," Adam nodded before they said goodbye and Adam shut the door behind them.

"You ready to go home and see mommy?" Luke asked Lara as he walked along, pushing the stroller in front of him towards their apartment. Lara nodded eagerly around her pacifier. Luke smiled. "Me too," He said.

Luke entered the building, stopping briefly to talk to Cappy. Cappy smiled at Lara but looked at Luke, concerned.

"Grace came in earlier with someone from her work. She looked pretty shaken up," Cappy said.

Luke frowned. "Was she okay?" He asked.

"I think so. You'd better go on up," Cappy replied. Luke nodded, wasting no time in getting to the elevator. Once he got to the apartment, he went into the living room and set Lara in her playpen. Grace wasn't in the living room.

"Grace?" He called, tending to partially unbundling Brynn.

"She's right here,"

Luke turned around and saw Joan sitting next to Grace at the dining room table. He looked at them, confused. "Joan?" He asked. He looked at Grace. Grace's head was down and she was breathing heavily. Her mind was racing and she felt dizzy. Joan's face held a grave look. "What's going on?" Luke asked.

Grace shook her head. She reached up and rubbed her temple. "This is not happening," She commented.

"You'd better sit down, Luke," Joan pulled out a chair. Luke sunk into it gravely. His heart pounded. Grace slid the letter across to Luke along with the picture it held. Luke reached out and began to read, not missing the picture of Ryan at what looked like Niagara Falls.

_

* * *

Dearest dear little sis,_

_Did you miss me? I bet you did. I've been spending long enough vacationing, relaxing and just enjoying life. It's time to spread some love around. I hear you've got quite the little family growing. I've been making my way across __Canada__ for about two years now. As you can see from my picture, I'm not too far off from you and my little nieces; I just may have to stop down for a little visit before I make my way to __Mexico__. Now I know what you're thinking sis, but I've changed my ways! Honest. Well, I guess seeing is believing isn't it? You'll just have to wait and see if I have or not. _

_I bet that useful husband of yours is plotting this second how he's going to get his FBI buddies to track me down and take me out isn't he? Ha! Well, I've got more connections this time, Gracie my dear. More connections, more options, more weapons, heck I even have more brainpower than you. _

_I bet as well that you want to know why I'm writing to you don't you? You think it's actually going to be me who comes down there to take care of you, don't you? I said I have more brain power than you. Besides I'm too recognizable now after my nifty fifteen minutes of fame, haha. Actually, it's pretty sad how lacking this country is in apprehending fugitives. _

_Do you know why I say that? I was there, sis. I saw it all. Mom's big finale. Forget 'Death of a Salesman,' I think we could crank big bucks out of a new stage play, don't you? We'll call it "Sarah: Drink Yourself Goodbye." No, you don't like that do you? Of course…that little lackey of yours…Collier Graham? Yes, he's a bit of a brown nosing stool pigeon if you ask me. Anyway, never send a messenger to do your dirty work. He barely put up a good fight. I'm surprised he lived. He was a little angry you see, I was taking great joy in your agony, huddled up and weak in your boy toy's arms, crying like a little baby…heh. Ah well, we can't all be as strong as you pretend to be. In truth, I'm not sure why I'm writing to you. Maybe I'd just like to see your reaction; see how much weaker you've gotten now that you've stopped blocking the world out with the walls you used to build up. _

_I'll be seeing you real soon, sis. Tell the girls Uncle Ryan's coming to visit! _

_Yours…R.H._

**

* * *

A/N: There you have it. It's a pretty lame beginning I know but, hey could be worse right? And hey, this was pretty quick after those two quick updates of the last story, cut me some slack. Tell me what you hate, tell me what you love, review! Note: Because I know it's strange, Lara's full name is Larissa. I couldn't help myself…Dr. Zhivago is one of my favorite books/movies….anyway…**

**Story title from 'Keep the Faith' by Bon Jovi. **

**Chapter title from 'Name' by The Goo Goo Dolls.**

**Responses: Sayxanything – **Glad you love HMT, thanks for the kudos! I'm sorry I keep making people cry! Don't kill me! I made it! I'm sorry you're confused. If you're still confused, e-mail me and we'll sort everything out (for you and in the story)!

**Kool-Wolf – **DUDE! BUT THIS FREAKIN STORY IS JUST FREAKIN STARTING! Yes…I gave people more kids…don't kill me. I'm pretty sure the beginning here was lame with Ryan stuff but I do have a plan. Yo, I hate beyond every fiber of your being, we're getting down to subatomic particles here. Violence to you!

**Jane and Adam – **Thanks! What'd ya think of the beginning?

**Tiffany – **UPPPPDAAAATEEEE! I didn't leave, I swear. Yay, it was one of my best? Yay! Yes, I still get that hate mail. It's just it's rather amusing now. I read the story, and I'm very sad that it won't be continued btw. Don't be sad! Smile! It makes people think you're up to something.

**Audrey – **GO US for being hopeless romantics! Thanks for the ending kudos! ) What'd ya think of this?

**Carol – **I can't believe it was over too, FYI. I kinda felt this Ryan stuff was lame but like I said, I have a plan, seriously. ) Thanks for the kudos.

**Butterfly Dancing – **Lol, don't thank me! I did miss you! (No prob, I meant it about your aunt). Yay for updates! Thanks for the kudos! I laughed heartily when I was writing that scene with J and G and A and L as well!

**Em'sPride**** – **Helloooo! Thanks for the kudos! I'm glad you got to read it and enjoy it and humbled that you sat down and took a big chunk of your time to do so! I'm speechless that the plethora of adjectives you left there and I thank you for them! ) P.S. – _loved _'No Place Like Home' seriously.

**Magentabear**** – **Thanks for the kudos. Romantic without sappy is impressive for me, I tend to just meld them together…you know being a hopeless romantic and all. Lol, Gabe was fun to create. Did you love him even more from this chapter? I actually read your review in the middle of writing the tickling scene and laughed. Thanks on the career path thing. I'm going to play around with some of it possibly in the future. Mostly Luke's and maybe Adam's because there's flexibility there. Response to random side note part 2: It definitely is a great philosophical movie. I actually didn't see it until about two years ago because I'm not a big jay and silent bob fan…well I wasn't at least. Anyway that sounds like a cool group of friends there! And a fun conversation! Finally: no need to thank me, I meant it. I literally cheer when I see it's updated. My mom asked me if I was losing it last time cause she heard me! )

**Coveredinrain16 – **Don't cry! Lol, I threw you there for a minute with Gabe didn't I? Don't worry, that was meant to be confusing. The bachelorette party was them going to the clubs the night before, ditto the bachelor's. I figured it would be better than a whole party bit, so I worked it in subtly. Lol good song mixture with reading there! I love Journey…although Faithfully is my favorite song…ahem. Ah, Ironically I did the Celebration thing at the beginning of this, for their actual wedding song. The other song they danced to in HMT, was because the whole time writing it that's where I wanted to end it, with that song because of the lyrics. I'm glad I didn't get crappier! Go me! Luke and Grace are gonna start getting rocky. Soon. Thanks again for the most excellent kudos! P.S. – I loved that scene too!

**Shout out to Laura – **Good luck on the exams! You can do it! P.S. look your name's in the story…albeit no really, just a short version of a longer name but still! I thought it was funny when I realized it. ) I miss the e-mails my lowland friend, and await for your exams to finish! Hopefully in the future I won't make you cry before clubbing again…!

**That's all for now folks…so tell me…did it stink? **


	2. You Love My Demon Seed

**Story: Keep the Faith  
Rating: T-M  
Disclaimer: **You know the drill.  
**A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)**

**

* * *

Chapter 2 – You Love My Demon Seed**

**March 31st, 2015**

"Do you think he was bluffing?" Grace spoke up. She and Luke had fed the girls. Brynn was now asleep at the end of the table in a portable bassinet. Lara was in her height chair playing with a handful of small toys and chewing on a cold teething ring. Luke and Grace were just getting into their dinner. Grace moved some pasta around on her plate.

"I don't know," Luke shrugged wearily. He had been called into work at 3 am and hadn't gotten home until almost 6pm. He looked across the table at Grace. "I don't think he's the bluffing type. I think he's waiting. Whoever he's got watching us, they're letting him know what our reaction to the letter is," He said.

Grace nodded slightly. She felt nothing but guilt for all of this. "Are you freaked?" She asked him.

Luke nodded, swallowing a mouthful of food. Whenever Ryan's existence was brought up, Luke's mind automatically filtered back to Ocean City. He could still clearly see Grace's body lying on the sand, motionless and blue. He had to shake his head to clear the thought away. Grace saw the shudder that traveled down his back.

"Yeah," He nodded, "I am."

Grace looked back down at her plate, moving the food around some more. She shook her head a little tiny bit and looked up to meet Luke's eyes. "He's not going to hurt us," She said sternly.

Luke's eyes met Grace's and lingered there. There was a look of determination on her face that he had only seen in certain times; like when there was case she was refusing to back down on, or when her father called and laid another guilt trip on her. Slowly, Luke nodded.

"I know," He replied. He knew that by 'us' Grace meant Lara and Brynn as well as Gabe and Mac. Grace looked back down at her plate, willing herself to eat. She felt herself becoming lost in memory; back to when Joan had told her that she was pregnant. It felt like so long ago now.

_

* * *

It was Grace's birthday, March 17th. She hated her birthday. Mostly, she hated her birthday because it was related with one of the biggest drinking Holidays she knew. Usually, just thinking about the sheer irony of it all made her head spin. Today though, March 17th, 2010 was different. It was the first birthday she was going to get to spend with Luke, Adam and Joan since they'd started college. She hated to admit it, but she was excited. Joan and Adam had been living together for awhile and the couples had traveled between NYC and Cambridge to visit each other whenever plausible. Of course that meant only every couple of months because of everyone's schedule. _

_Today however, Adam and Joan were coming up to visit for the night. Granted it was a Wednesday night but they had both arranged to take Thursday off and were staying the night. They had arrived sometimes in the early afternoon and met Luke and Grace at JB's. After they ate a later lunch, they had headed for Nitro. Nitro was a club that could hold 575 people. File Under X was performing and since it was Grace's birthday and a holiday, Luke had managed to convince Adam and Joan to visit. _

_At the club, Glynis and Sweet Lou had met up with them, and soon Fleur and Aurelia had come as well. The music and the crowd were loud, making it hard to talk over the music. The group had succumbed to dancing along with the lively crowd when they lost their table. _

_After an hour or two, Joan had tugged on Grace's arm and motioned for them to go outside. Grace nodded and followed, weaving her way through the crowd by following the back of Joan's head. _

_"What's up, Girardi?" Grace asked once they were outside. Joan was leaning down on her knees and taking deep, gulping breaths. Grace led her by the elbow over to a bench nearby and sat next to her. "I know you weren't drinking so, you're not sick from that. What did you eat today?" She prodded. _

_Joan shook her head and emitted a nervous chortle. "It's not that at all," She said. _

_"Oh?" Grace asked. Joan looked at Grace. "Then what is it?" Grace asked, concerned. _

_"Remember that winter break during our first year?" Joan spoke up._

_Grace stared at her unsure for a moment and then a light bulb went off in her brain. "Oh…OH!" She said. "So you think you're…?" _

_Joan shook her head. "I don't think I'm anything," She looked at Grace. "I know I am." _

_Grace stared at Joan in disbelief for a moment. "Does Rove know?" She asked. Joan nodded. "Wow…" Grace stared of into space for a moment. "I mean…just…whoa…" _

_Joan nodded again. "Yeah, tell me about it." _

_"Who else knows?" Grace asked. _

_"I told Mom and Dad this morning. I didn't really like telling them over the phone," She frowned. _

_Grace nodded now. "When?" _

_Joan almost snickered. "Due Christmas day," She said. _

_Grace couldn't help but laugh. "I know for a fact that was not immaculate, Girardi, don't even try to cop out on it."_

_"It's strange," Joan said after they laughed. "I feel really…calm. I'm not even freaked out about it."_

_For nine months following, Grace had called Joan nearly every day. Grace had turned out to be more paranoid than even Luke, who managed to call every other day or every three days. Joan never had to ask Grace why she was paranoid; Joan knew. Grace had been waiting for Ryan's return ever since the day he'd accosted her in the bathroom at Pizza Palace. In fact, because Joan was due on the December 25th, she'd assured that both she and Luke had from December 25th until January 3rd off because she knew Joan and Adam would be in Arcadia. _

_Of course, Gabe had decided to come late. He made his presence known in the middle of the night on December 27th, when Joan's water broke in the middle of a 2am cup of hot chocolate while she and Grace were in the kitchen talking about random memories. _

_Grace had freaked out, rushing through the house yelling for someone to help. Once everyone was up, they piled into two cars and brought Joan to the hospital. Adam went back with her after changing into hospital issue blue scrubs. He looked dazed mostly. Helen had called Carl, who hadn't taken very long to show up. _

_Of course, Gabe wasn't one for quick arrivals. In fact they paced the waiting room until 8:24pm on December 28th. After he was born and the nurses set about cleaning him and Joan up, Adam entered the waiting room. He was too dumbstruck to speak for almost five minutes while Helen, Will, Carl, Luke and Grace bum rushed him with multiple questions; Is it a girl or a boy? Is everything okay? Is Joan all right? How much does he weigh? Which one of you does he look like? Can we see him? Can we see Joan? Did you pick a name out yet? _

_Finally, Adam spoke with a distant smile on his face, "It's a boy. He's perfectly fine. Jane's fine too. 6 pounds and 8 ounces. He looks like both of us. You can see them soon. We picked a name but Jane wants to introduce you to him so I can't tell you," He answered. _

_After entering Joan's room and being introduced to Gabe, everyone dispersed to go home except for Luke and Grace. Luke went to the cafeteria to get some food and coffee. Gabe was taken to the nursery to sleep and for them to check him over again. Joan had fallen asleep, clearly exhausted. Grace and Adam stood outside the nursery window, staring through at Gabe as he slept among all the other newborns. _

_"You know…" She had spoken up, "and make no mistake, if you tell anyone I said this you're a dead man…but, watching you guys and seeing him…I can see why people have good reason to get married…I suppose it wouldn't be so bad," She said. Adam had smiled. Though it didn't seem like it, Grace had just admitted that she would like to marry Luke one day. _

_Adam simply smiled. He still looked dazed and his eyes glazed over some. Grace watched as he absently reached a hand up to the glass, trying to reach out to Gabe, who was sleeping soundly in the nursery. _

_"If anyone ever tries to hurt him…" Adam spoke up after a few minutes of silence. Grace turned to look at him. She knew that by 'anyone,' Adam meant Ryan. _

_"Rove…I'll be dead before Hunter gets so much as the tip of a finger on him…" Grace said firmly. Adam turned his head and let his eyes meet with Grace's. They both offered a knowing nod, not needing to say anything further. _

* * *

"Grace?" Luke's voice pulled Grace back to reality. She looked up to see Luke holding the phone out to her. 

"Sorry," She muttered as she took the phone into her hand. "Hello?" She pressed it to her ear.

"Gracie," Her father's voice floated in through her ear.

"Hi dad," She said almost reluctantly.

"Do you know the fish factory place we used to go to?" He asked her.

Grace scrunched her forehead up. "Yeah?" She replied, confused.

"Do you know where it reopened?" He asked

For the past week, Grace's father had been calling and asking random questions; questions Forrest Gump would ask. "Dad, I haven't lived there in nearly 7 years…" She said calmly.

"Oh, right…right," He said slowly.

"Is there anything else, dad?" Grace asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"No…well…maybe," He replied. "How are the girls?" He asked.

"They're good dad," Grace replied. She didn't see why he cared, he hadn't even tried to arrange a day to come up and visit since Brynn had been born. Even Helen and Will had come up for a whole weekend just to see the girls.

"Okay. Good. Good," The Rabbi replied. "It's getting late, I'll let you go," He said. "Goodnight Gracie."

"Bye Dad," Grace said. She hung up and put the phone down on the table as Luke was washing the dinner dishes. "I think my dad is turning into Rainman…" She put her head down on the table. She lifted her head and rested her chin on the edge of Brynn's portable bassinet when she heard the baby gurgle in her sleep. Her eyes opened briefly and almost squinted up at Grace. "What, you think that's funny?" She asked with a small to the little girl as she ran a hand over the baby's peach fuzz covered head. Brynn blinked at her a few times and then closed her eyes again as Grace rubbed a few circles on her belly.

Luke was content just watching Grace as she turned her attention to Lara. Grace lifted Lara out of her highchair and took the bib from around her neck, placing it on the table. She leaned back in her chair as Lara put her head right down on Grace's shoulder. Lara pulled at the strands of her bright golden blonde locks. "Somebody's tired…" Grace said, pulling Lara's hand away and rubbing circles on the little girl's back, hoping to send her right off to sleep. She didn't notice Luke watching until there was a knock on the door of the apartment.

Grace raised an eyebrow at Luke. "Who could that be?" She asked. Normally, Cappy would call them and assure that they knew who was visiting them. Grace looked at the clock and realized Cappy had already gone home. Johnny, the night doorman was less strict than Cappy; Grace hated that. Luke shrugged. He walked over to the door and looked trough the peep hole. Grace stood and walked around to the other side of the table, almost shielding the bassinet on the table.

"It's a little girl," Luke stated.

"What?" Grace asked taking a step forward. She walked over to the door as Luke opened it. In the hallway stood a girl who looked like she could be no more than 10 or 11. Her brown hair was matted in knots and her face was dirty. It looked like she'd been wearing the same clothes for weeks and her shoes were falling off her feet.

"Can we help you?" Grace asked, handing Lara off to Luke. Luke promptly took a few steps back with his daughter, eyeing the girl cautiously. The girl shivered in the doorway. She was wet from the rain coming down outside. There were various cuts and scratches visible on her arms, hands and face. There was a dark red splotch on the side of her shirt by her stomach that looked like it could have been dried blood. Grace felt leery, unsure what to make of the girl.

The little girl looked at Grace closely, wobbling as she stood, like she was dizzy. "I'm looking for Grace Polk…" She said wearily. Her eyes were glazed over and rolled back into her head a few times.

"Who are you?" Grace asked calmly, inching forward.

"I'm…" The girl started to say. She swayed and against her better judgment, Grace reached out to steady the girl by her shoulders. "Anneliese…" The girl looked at Grace and attempted to speak again, but before she could, her eyes rolled up again and she collapsed forward. Grace moved to catch her, bringing her down to her knees with the girl's upper body in her lap.

"Call an Ambulance," She said to Luke who had already grabbed the phone. Grace felt around for the girl's pulse. Her pulse was steady, but she wouldn't open her eyes, though she was mumbling and shuddering. Luke brought a blanket and Grace wrapped it around the girl.

* * *

"Hey, so what's going on?" Joan asked as she let Luke into the apartment. She took Lara out of his arms. Lara shifted but stayed asleep, leaning her head on Joan's shoulder. Adam soon appeared behind Joan as Luke put a stuffed diaper bag next to the stroller that Brynn was slumbering it. 

"I don't know," Luke said honestly. "Some kid showed up at our door asking for Grace. She looked like a street kid. She said told us her first name and then just collapsed."

"Whoa…" Adam said. "Is she okay?"

Luke shrugged. "Grace went with her in the ambulance. I'm going to head over and see if I can figure out what the deal is. I'll call you and let you know when I can pick them up. I'll try not to make it too late," Luke said, noticing it was almost 9.

Joan shook her head. "Take your time. They can stay over if you need them too," She assured with a smile.

"Thanks," Luke kissed both the girls and then his sister on the cheek and shook Adam's hand quickly. "I owe you a Friday night," He said as he left.

* * *

"You can go in and see her when you'd like," The doctor told Grace. 

"Is she okay?" Grace asked.

The doctor nodded. "Well, she was extremely malnourished and suffering from some pretty severe fatigue, which is not entirely uncommon in homeless children. She's also suffering from some pretty advanced sepsis. When she collapsed she was fairly close to going into septic shock. But we've set her up with some antibiotics, and we've cleaned the infected wound on her side, which also needed stitches. She's also on an IV to put some electrolytes and nourishment back into her system until she's feeling up to eating something solid," He informed Grace. Grace nodded, taking in all this information. "I've also called Social Services. They'll be here in the morning to sort out everything and figure out who she belongs to and why she's been living in these conditions so long. You're welcome to stay with her if you would like, however."

"Thank you Dr. Brice," Grace said, shaking his hand. Grace had known Dr. Brice since she was four months pregnant with Lara. After being struck by a bike messenger who was trying to get away from the cops, Grace had been taken to the emergency room with a concussion, and also because she had been hemorrhaging. Dr. Brice had been the doctor who had taken care of her. He had checked on her repeatedly while she was in the hospital for the following three days and since then had treated Gabe for a gash on his elbow that needed three stitches, and had even treated Lara during her first emergency room visit recently when she stuffed a peanut m&m she'd gotten a hold of up her nose.

"Anytime Grace," He smiled. "If you'll excuse me."

"Of course," Grace nodded. She made her way to the room that Anneliese was in and cautiously went inside. She stopped at the end of the bed and picked up the girl's chart. They had found no form of identification on the girl, and so her last name wasn't even filled out on the chart. Grace set it back down and walked around to the front of her bed. She sat down after pulling the chair over and studied the girl's face. She looked vaguely familiar but Grace couldn't figure out why.

In her sleep, the girl's face contorted. She looked like she was in great discomfort. Grace felt her heart leap. She hated seeing the shape that most of the abused kids she worked with on a daily basis for cases. This girl was no different. She was either orphaned or abandoned and had been struggling to survive. Grace reached out and brushed the girl's matted hair out of her face, wondering how and why the girl had been trying to find her; by her other last name no less.

Just then, the little girl's eyes fluttered open. Grace retracted her hand swiftly. She blushed at being caught and offered a sheepish smile. Anneliese's eyes seemed to be trying to focus. Once they did, she stared at Grace for a long time, looking almost relieved.

"So…Anneliese is it?" Grace asked. The girl nodded. "You want to tell me why you were looking for me?" She spoke calmly, hoping she didn't scare the girl.

Anneliese swallowed hard. Her eyes filled up, immediately alarming Grace.

"Hey, it's okay. You're in a hospital. You're going to be all right," Grace assured.

Anneliese shook her head. She clenched her jaw and looked up to avoid crying.

Grace recognized the facial expression all too well. "Okay, let's start with basics instead, shall we? Who are you?" She pressed on.

"Everyone calls me Liese," The girl said.

Grace nodded. She reached out and put her hand on top of the girl's. "Okay, Liese. I'm Grace."

Liese nodded, but seemed afraid to speak anymore.

"Are you from New York?" Grace prodded. Liese shook her head. "Where are you from?"

"Maryland," The girl said. Grace felt herself squirm at this news/

"Okay…what about your parents?" Grace continued. The girl's eyes filled more now.

"My mom's dead…" She forced out. Liese squeezed Grace's hand harder and Grace reached her free hand out to put it over top of the hand she was already holding.

"I'm sorry," Grace said. "My mom died a few years ago," She was hoping to gain a little more trust from the girl. "What about your dad?"

The girl froze. Her eyes were wide now. She clearly was terrified to speak about him. Grace nodded.

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about him," Grace assured. "Why were you trying to find me?" She ventured to ask again.

Anneliese look at her for a long moment before she spoke. "You're the only one who can help me," She said.

Grace thought about this statement for a long moment. "I can't help you if you don't tell me who you are," She said.

"My name is Anneliese Saunders…" She took a deep breath and looked Grace square in the eye, terrified. "My father is Ryan Hunter," She said.

Grace stared at Anneliese in shock and disbelief for a long time. Her mouth gaped open as she tried to find some words; something to say to make all of this make sense.

"I'll understand if you hate me…" Anneliese's voice came back weak and vulnerable. She had actually sunk back into the bed. She averted her eyes, letting a stray tear fall now.

"No, no," Grace said, shaking her head before she could even think clearly. She reached out a hand and wiped the tear away from the girl's cheek. Anneliese looked up at Grace. Grace couldn't grasp this. Luke's father had never told her that Ryan had a daughter. She wondered if anyone even knew. She wondered if Ryan knew. Grace found herself sitting on the edge of the bed. She gingerly brushed the girl's hair back behind her ear. "I promise I'll do everything I can to help you," She swore to this girl; her niece. Grace's mind reeled. She wondered for a moment if she was really awake or not.

* * *

"You are the one, you are a tease," Ryan bobbed his head and sung as he reached for a wrench. He was on a rolling board under his truck. It was run down and run out after being driven across Canada for nearly two years. Now, he was almost done fixing it. He had fake New York plates all ready for it. He had his documents all in order. All that was left was getting this heap of junk up and running and then sure enough, he'd be heading for one helluva party. Smiling to himself, he sung along to the blaring radio that was near his toolbox, belting out some Billy Idol. "You love my demon seed, you know just what I mean, climb up my lemon tree, make me scream! All night, all night long! Gonna get obscene! All night, all night long! All night, all night long! Ow!" He bobbed his head again. 

"So what name are you going by now, old friend?" A woman's seductive voice replaced the song as they turned off the radio.

Ryan stopped turning the wrench when he heard the voice. He turned his head and looked at the person's legs for a second, smiling to himself. He reached up and tugged, rolling himself right out from under the truck, right between her legs. He grinned up at her, knowing he was covered in grease. He'd lost his shirt long ago, sweating too heavily to keep it on. His ratty jeans were streaked with grease where he'd wiped his hands off.

"Depends on what your favorite name to scream is," He told her. She smiled seductively at him, biting at the corner of her mouth with her hands on her hips. "What've you got for me, Dom?" He reached out for her, licking his lips.

Easily he pulled her down, straddling his lap. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Johnny sends his regards," She smiled briefly before diving into his neck and savagely tasting at his dirty skin. She always did find it sexy when he worked on the truck but Ryan was all business. He didn't stop her advances, just ignored them as he read the paper in his hands. He was aware of a nearby neighbor shaking her head and covering her daughter's eyes and ushering the child in the house.

"Good news?" Dominique asked between her attacks at his neck. She felt Ryan's laughter as it billowed through his vocal chords and out his lips. He grabbed her by her hip and her but, pulling her down against him fiercely before capturing her mouth in a rough, lust filled kiss. He laughed as he released her, pulling a hand up to her face. She was covered in grease now too.

"Good news," He confirmed, diving in for another kiss. "We'll leave tomorrow."

"Where…are we going?" She asked, panting.

"It's a surprise," He told her easily as his hands came down and pulled away her blouse, exposing her bare back to the sun. It was cold out, at least to Dom it was.

"Let's go inside…" She suggested nipping around his ear.

"It's too nice of a day…" He replied easily maneuvering the buckle of her belt, the button and zipper of her jeans with one swift movement. Dominique had given up protesting with Ryan months ago.

**

* * *

April 1st, 2005**

"Knock, knock," Joan said as she entered Grace and Luke's apartment.

"Mommy!" Gabe rushed her. Joan swooped down and scooped him up just before he hit her legs. She placed a big kiss on his cheek.

"Did you have fun with Uncle Luke and Gigi?" Joan asked as she walked into the living room. She smirked at the death glare Grace shot her from the floor where she was sitting on a spread out blanket with Lara and Mac, who were both winging toys around and emitting high pitched gibberish.

Gabe nodded profusely and began to recount the day quickly. Joan nodded and listened before setting him down to play with the girls. Joan took a seat across from Grace on the floor. Mac looked up and noticed her and promptly crawled into her lap just long enough for a hug before crawling back to the toys on the floor.

"So, tell me what's going on already," Joan spoke up.

Grace looked at Joan for a moment. She didn't know where to start.

"Luke told us something about a girl," Joan said, hoping to kick-start Grace's commentary. Grace took a deep breath.

"You're not going to believe this one…" She said.

"Oh please, after all the crap we've been through?" Joan chuckled with a wave of her hand.

"Rove, no," Grace shook her head. She recounted the story from when Anneliese showed up at their door until when Dr. Brice gave her the run down of Anneliese's ailments.

"Wow…so did you find out who she was?" Joan asked after Grace finished.

Grace nodded. She looked at the girls for a minute as Lara crawled over into her lap. Grace ran a hand through Lara's soft hair. It hung just below her ears, pin straight and golden. Lara just looked up at Grace, reaching a hand up to play with her necklace. It was a gold chain with her engagement ring on it. When Grace and Luke had moved into the apartment, Grace had lost the ring for a full day; eventually Luke had found it in-between the couch cushions. Since then, Grace had worn the ring on a necklace, which she only took off every once in a great while to clean.

"She's Ryan's daughter," Grace finally said, watching Joan for her reaction. 

Joan's mouth hung open for a moment as she stared at Grace. "That means she's your…"

"Yeah…" Grace nodded. "I know."

"That's so weird…" Joan replied.

Grace nodded.

"So…her mom…was that's Ryan's doing?" Joan asked.

"Your dad's looking into it," Grace said. "She said they were sleeping and someone broke into their house. She hid in a crawl space under the back of the house for 2 days. After that she spent two weeks trying to find me. She thinks I'm the only one who can save her from Hunter. She wouldn't tell me if she saw whom it was that broke in. She did say it was more than one person though."

"Whoa…I don't even know what to say," Joan commented after a moment of shocked silence.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Grace agreed. They continued to talk about the situation as they entertained the kids, waiting for Adam and Luke to arrive. Adam was on his way from the gallery. Luke had gone to pick up their pizza, fries and soda for dinner on the way home from work.

* * *

"Come on, where are we going?" Dominique asked from the passenger seat. 

"You'll see," Ryan continued driving. "We're close now."

Dominique's eyes lit up, a sure sign that she'd been following the road signs, trying to guess where they were going. "New York? We're going to New York?" In the same instance, the gravity of that statement hit her. She frowned. "We're going there because of her, aren't we?"

Ryan didn't answer. He turned the radio up. Dominique frowned. Ryan was obsessed with that sister of his and it drove her crazy. He talked about her all the time. Dominique was a messenger. She picked up the letters, the photographs and the videos. They were all of Grace and her family. Her and that other couple. Ryan called them the enemy. They didn't look evil to Dominique, but she didn't know what evil looked like. No, as far as she could tell they were just two families, young and raising small children. She couldn't see what wrong they had done Ryan, but complaining about that only made Ryan angry. She was desperate for Ryan's attention. She never wanted to be on Ryan's bad side. She'd seen his bad side. Still, his obsession with Grace-his own sister-bothered her right down to her core.

"Yes, it's time for a visit," He grinned.

"Right…a visit…" She replied, looking out the window.

"You know that plan we've been working on?" Ryan spoke up.

Dominique's ears perked up. Whenever he spoke about the plan-the plan that she was involved in-it was a chance to square things up and earn herself points in Ryan's view. The more she went along with, the better he thought of her and the better he treated her.

"Yeah?" She asked, leading him. She knew he loved to talk about it too.

"We're going to go through with it," He told her. "We're heading to Johnny's. He's going to hook us up with a place to stay. Off the radar. We'll start slow, with little things. We'll make a couple of trips down to Maryland too, keep that nosy father-in-law of hers off the trail."

"Why prolong it?" Dominique asked innocently. "Why not just take care of the problem right away? We can go somewhere warm, with sand and water…and those fruity little drinks with the little tiny umbrellas in them…"

"Why do women always want to run away to a beach and become alcoholics with little drink umbrellas?" Ryan asked. The irritation in his voice made Dominique switch gears. She reached over and ran a hand lazily over his thigh.

"It's easy for us to have our way with you men on a nice hot sunny day, in the middle of a beach with waves crashing all around, and a nice cool cocktail…" She used her seductive voice, leaning in to his neck.

Ryan smirked. "I suppose it's ingrained in your brains," He said. "We'll leave when I say it's time though." He told her. Dominique nodded, deciding to drop the issue.

* * *

"Daddy, can I have a cookie?" Gabe begged. It was just about 8:30pm and Gabe needed a bath. Joan was in the back finishing up with Mac and putting her to sleep. Adam had stopped to answer the phone. 

"Hang on one minute, Gabe," Adam said before returning his attention to the phone. "That week works for us. I'm pretty sure Joan already cleared it on her calendar. I'll remind her when we hang up though," He replied.

"That's perfect. Kevin and Lily are taking their vacation that week too. We just have to convince Grace and Luke now," Helen replied happily over the phone.

"They were talking about it at dinner. I think they're up for it. Grace isn't planning on going back to work until the middle of June anyway. Luke's been putting in extra overtime anyway and his boss has been badgering him to plan a vacation. I'm sure it wouldn't take much to convince them," Adam replied.

"Daddy…" Gabe tugged at Adam's pant leg. Joan appeared in the kitchen so Adam handed off the phone. He grabbed a cookie for Gabe and then led him up the hallway.

"Hey mom," Joan said into the receiver. "So where are we going this year?" She asked. They had started taking vacations together with the family two years ago. Last year they'd gone to Disney in Florida.

"Your father's old friend is letting us use their house at Lake St. Catherine," Helen told Joan.

"A lake? Sounds fun to me," Joan decided. "Ooh, so long as you know we have tons of bug spray and stuff. Mosquitoes are evil."

Helen chuckled at her daughter. "Okay, I'm going to go and call Luke and see if they've decided to join us this year or not," She said.

"Oh I totally prepared them to say yes for you," Joan replied. Helen laughed again.

"Oh, I knew you would," She said. "Goodnight honey."

"Night mom, tell Daddy we say hi," Joan replied.

"I will," Helen said before both of them hung up.

* * *

"Okay lay it on me, where are we going this year?" Grace asked as she approached Luke, who was sitting on the couch with his head lolling back tiredly against the cushion and his feet up on the coffee table. 

"Lake house. Someone my dad knows owns it, so he's letting us use it," Luke said, reaching up to tiredly rub his face. He had been called into work again at 4 am this time and hadn't arrived home until 6pm. He had been too tired to even be hungry by the point when he brought dinner home with him for everyone. Grace sat on the couch next to him.

"Come on," She waved her hand. Luke looked at her for a moment before turning and laying his body across the couch, resting his head into her lap. Grace pulled his glasses off and put them on the end table. She knew he hated waking up to go in so early because he always forgot to put his contacts in. She reached out and turned off the news, leaving them mostly in the dark with the only light coming from the small light in the kitchen that they left on all the time. She ran her left hand through his hair and used it to gently stroke circles at his temple. Her right hand trailed along his back and shoulders. Luke shifted under her touch, his body relaxed easily. Grace listened to him sigh. He turned so he was on his back and squinted up at her in the dark. Grace just ran her hand through his messed hair again.

"Do you want to go to sleep?" She asked him.

Luke shook his head. "I don't think I can…" He replied.

"Bad day, huh?" She asked him.

Luke nodded. "It was…disturbing…"

"Okay, I get it, you don't wanna tell me," She offered a small, half offended smiling. "That usually means it's pretty bad," She said knowingly.

Luke just watched her for a few minutes. She busied herself with playing with the hair at tufts at the back of his neck; something she was well aware sent shivers down his spine.

"What?" She asked when she noticed him staring.

"I figured out a new formula," He spoke up.

Grace looked at him, trying to judge if he was serious or not. "For real?" She asked.

Luke nodded. "I tested it during lunch," He said. Grace knew that this meant he hadn't eaten all day. "I picked up a glass, a gun, a knife, shoes and a notebook, then I wiped all traceable fingerprints off of them before spraying them with the solution. Turned off the lights and used the red flashlights. All of the prints were there, in perfect detail," He smiled proudly.

Grace smiled. She leaned down and landed a long sweet kiss on his lips. "Congratulations," She told him.

Luke reached his hand up to her face, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Do you know what this means?" He said slowly around an exhausted yawn.

Grace thought for a moment, "You're going to catch more scumbags for me to take to court?" She smiled.

Luke nodded. "That's not all though…" He smiled.

"What else?" Grace asked, leaning down for another kiss. She pulled away but lingered close as he spoke.

"We're going to be filthy stinking rich…" He grinned. Grace laughed before Luke reached out and pulled her in for another kiss.

Grace pulled away after a few minutes. "This isn't an April Fool's joke is it?" She asked suspiciously.

Luke laughed. "No way," He smiled. They were in the middle of another kiss when the phone rang.

Grace sat back up and grabbed the phone before it rang a second time. "Hello?" She asked. There was silence on the other end for a minute before someone took in a deep breath and let it out shakily.

"Uhm…A-Aunt Grace?" A voice asked. Grace shuddered for a second.

"Liese?" Grace asked back. "Everything okay?"

"Oh…yeah…I just…" Anneliese hesitated. "I don't know why I called, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's all right, what's wrong?" Grace persisted.

"W-Would it be to much…to ask if you could come down here?" Anneliese sounded small. She sniffled, and Grace knew she'd been crying. "Oh, that's stupid, it's late and you have a little baby. Never mind-,"

"It's not a problem. I'll be there as soon as I can," Grace interrupted her.

"Everything okay?" Luke asked once Grace hung up.

She looked down at him with a frown. "She's spooked. She wants to know if I can come stay with her for a while."

Luke nodded and they both stood up. Grace went to grab her jacket. "Call me when you get there?" He asked.

Grace nodded. She walked over to him and pulled him to her by the back of his head, bringing her lips upon his for a long moment. She smiled when she pulled away.

"We'll continue the conversation about your formula in the morning," She said.

Luke smiled and nodded, kissing her once more before she turned away to leave. Luke watched her go. He waited up watching the news until Grace called to tell him she'd arrived and was okay. He tried to sleep, but found he just couldn't. His mind rolled through various thoughts. The chemical concoction he'd cooked up would secure them financially. That was a good thing. It would also put them in the news for a little while. That was a bad thing with Ryan lurking around somewhere in the background. After a while, Luke found himself floating between rooms and staring down at his daughters. He felt his heart pounding a number of times, thinking about what he would do if Ryan ever came near them and tried to hurt them. By the time the sun came up, Luke was watching the news in the living room again.

**

* * *

A/N: And so, chapter two. Do with it what you will, I'm at your mercy! **

**Chapter title from 'Scream' by Billy Idol. **

**Responses: Evil But Friendly Rival – **Welcome aboard! (Have you read the first two stories?) I'm glad you liked the Ryan/Grace dynamic. Thanks for the kudos!

**Coveredinrain16 – **Thanks for the kudos, friend! I wish I could be the writer of the show as well. Any show really. But anyway. The kiss fight is among my favorite scenes ever written lol. Luke is a forensic pathologist for the FBI. As for the kids thing, I'm still tinkering around with that. ) Much love!

**Kool-Wolf – **I can't promise not to put any more kids in the story. I am limited though. Kev and Lily are going to have more kids in this story dude. FYI: Ryan's about to get pretty nasty so…for-warning! What kind of something do you think should happen to Grace's dad? Like did you mean Ryan should do something or fights between Grace and the rabbi? Hate back atcha, violence to you!

**Magentabear – **Woohoo! You love Gabe. Gabe's my favorite character to tinker with at the moment. Ryan's going to be extra twisted in this story, I've decided. Everyone's going to think I'm crazy cause he's going to be so psycho.

**Sayxanything – **Cliffhangers are awesome! You know they are! Besides, what else am I going to do to keep you coming back for more? Much love! Cows, cows every-where….ahem….moving on!

**Sam – **I was beginning to think I lost ya! Ha! Sorry for making you close to tears and the proposal, yo. Thanks for the beginning kudos. Honestly, I have a notepad list to keep straight who's who! Good luck with your classes! Much love!

**Audrey – **Pssst…update soon! I'm glad I can keep hooking you in! Ryan can't simply just fall off a bridge, he needs to be tortured or something first! Thanks for the kudos, much love!

**Jane and Adam – **What can I say, sometimes I'm quick, heh! Much love.

**Carol – **Ditto what I said above! ) Yay! I've swayed you opinion of the characters with kids! Dude that's a total ego boost lol. Just think, all this laughing I'm making you do is good for you! Did you know that one good laugh lowers your blood pressure for up to 45 minutes? Thanks for the kudos! Much love!

**Mermaid Gurl 95 – **Welcome aboard! Thanks for the kudos! Have you read the others to? Thanks for the review! Hope to hear from ya again! Much love!

**Tiffany – **Hey…update dude! I always ask if I stink cause I'm paranoid, yo! It might not be that they quit; they might have just gotten stuck with writer's block on the matter. Sorry bout the overload of homework dude! I'll e-mail you later. (I'm about to run my errands for the day and then head back to the beach.) Much love!


	3. Long Way Down

**Story: Keep the Faith  
Rating: T-M  
Disclaimer: **You know the drill.  
**A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)**

**

* * *

Chapter 3 – Long Way Down, I Don't Think I'll Make It On My Own**

**June 4th, 2015**

"I'm heading to drop off your sister's cell," Grace stuck her head into her and Luke's room.

Luke nodded wearily from the rocking chair he had moved from Lara's room so that he could rock Brynn to sleep. Grace almost frowned at him. He hadn't slept the night before again. She was starting to get worried. He had been having trouble sleeping increasingly with each passing week.

"I'll take Damage with me," Grace told him. "You should try and get some sleep tonight," She suggested.

Luke looked up at her. "I'm fine," He said.

Grace nodded. "Okay," She said before leaving the room and heading for the door of their apartment. She whistled and Damage, their Australian cattle dog leapt off of his bed in the corner of the living room and trotted over. They had had him for a little more than a year and a half. They found him in an alley a few months before Lara was born. True to Luke's repeated statements that she had a weakness for puppies, she'd made Luke pick abandoned 4 week old pup up in his jacket.

They took him to a vet. Other then being overrun with fleas, it looked like the puppy had only been abandoned for 4 or 5 days. They gave him all of his shots and kept him for a week before Grace had finally talked Luke into adopting him. For three weeks they'd had to bottle feed him and teach him how to eat regular food. Grace had claimed it was practice for getting in routine with waking up, feeding and cleaning up after for when the baby came.

Damage had quickly become part of the family. His fur was mostly a gray/blue color with patches of brown, tan and black spread throughout his body and face. He wasn't a very destructive dog and he was good with playing with the kids. Grace hooked his leash on and made sure to grab the phone Joan had left before leaving the apartment.

It took Grace slightly longer than usual to get to Joan and Adam's apartment only because she'd had to stop and clean up after Damage went to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Luckily there was a trashcan nearby.

* * *

"Hey," Joan opened the door to let Grace inside. "Hey Damage!" She said in a baby voice, reaching down to pet the dog, which licked at her hand.

"Hi," Grace followed Joan into the living room. She unhooked Damage as she sat on the couch with Joan. Gabe was lying on the ground on a blanket, looking exhausted. Damage walked over and sniffed him before licking his face. Gabe giggled quietly and reached up to hug and pet Damage. "Is he still sick?" Grace asked, looking at Gabe as Damage laid down next to him and put his head on Gabe's tummy.

"His fever's gone. I think he's just tired now," Joan curled her legs under herself. She looked over and caught Grace running a tired hand through her hair and over her face. "Is the baby still not sleeping through the night?" She asked with a small smile.

"No, she'd not too bad," Grace said slowly, gazing at her nephew and trying to avoid Joan's gaze.

"Luke having trouble sleeping again?" Joan continued to prod.

Grace considered whether or not she should answer. She found herself answering before she could even assemble sentences in her mind. "I can't tell whether he's got extreme anxiety over the Ryan thing, work's getting to him really bad or if I did something to upset him," She blushed at the last statement.

"I doubt it was anything you did," Joan said. "So that leaves work or Ryan."

Grace frowned at this, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands for a second. She took a deep breath and moved her hands to the back of her neck. "I know it's not because of work," Grace frowned. "He's been in their lab working on his finger print, spray…stuff to tweak it. And that leaves Hunter. I feel like all of this is my fault."

"Don't be ridiculous," Joan gave Grace's shoulder a pat, not sure if Grace would accept a more comforting gesture at the moment.

"It's not ridiculous," Grace defended. She thought about the past couple of weeks alone. Anneliese was living in a foster home about 20 minutes away after being released from the hospital. Grace and Luke hadn't been sure what to do about her, and since Grace was her only living next of kin, Grace called in a few favors to keep her in the system in New York until she and Luke could figure out what to do about the situation. Not only this, but over the past three weeks, 5 apartments in their building had been broken into. Luke was running paranoid about the nighttime front door man. Grace pretty much agreed that she thought Johnny had something to do with it. She hadn't like Johnny since he'd started working, around the same time Lara was born.

Joan blinked at Grace after Grace told her all of this. "Grace, it's just stress and worry. After this vacation, everything will calm down, you'll see," She put her hand on Grace's shoulder and offered a tight lipped smile when Grace looked over at her.

"Maybe," Grace shrugged.

"Surely," Joan nodded.

Grace stood and Joan followed. "I should get back. I swear if he's not asleep, I'm hitting him over the head with a blunt object," She said as they walked to the door.

"Who are we attacking?" Adam emerged from the hallway. His hair was wet as he greeted them with a smile, having obviously finished a shower and changed.

"Luke," Joan smiled standing next to him.

"Ouch," Adam said. Grace offered a smirk before calling Damage over. She crouched down and hooked his leash on as Gabe trotted up behind Damage.

"Are you going home?" He asked Grace.

Grace nodded. "It's past my bedtime," She offered him a tiny smile.

"Me too," Gabe said. He leaned in to whisper to her, but Joan and Adam still heard him. "When you're sick mommy and daddy let you stay up later," He said. Grace bit back her laughter. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Joan cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

"I'll have to make sure I keep that in mind," Grace smiled at Gabe. Gabe nodded. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Bye-bye Gigi," He said tiredly. Grace hugged him back with her free hand and planted a wet kiss on his cheek, making him squirm away slightly.

"Sweet dreams, kid," She let him go and stood up.

"See you tomorrow," Adam stated.

"What time are you guys heading for the lake?" Joan asked.

"We're leaving first thing in the morning. Probably about 7am," Grace answered.

"I have one client at 10am, so we should be leaving here about noon. We should get there between 4 and 5," Joan said.

Grace nodded. "I let your parents know," She said. They exchanged greetings and Grace went on her way.

* * *

"You're coming in awfully late tonight," Johnny said with a fake smile plastered on his face.

Grace did her best not to just tell him to go shove his aerosol mace up his ass. It was only 8:30 after all. It was, however, dark out already. "Me and Damage went for a long walk," She chose to say instead, not stopping as she walked past the desk towards the elevators.

"Goodnight," Johnny called after her. Grace only waved in reply. After the elevator doors closed, Johnny reached for the phone and dialed a number.

"What?" Ryan's voice floated back through the receiver.

"Don't talk to me like that, you're using my house," Johnny reprimanded Ryan.

"Shut up, what do you want?" Ryan replied.

"She's heading up to her apartment now. He's already up there with the kids," Johnny replied.

There was silence on the line for a moment. "Good. I'll send someone over in a couple of hours. They'll hit an apartment on their floor tonight," Ryan said. "I'll call you when they're heading over so you're prepared."

"Got it," Johnny said diligently.

* * *

Grace made sure she was as quiet as possible when she entered the dark apartment. She unhooked Damage and gave him a biscuit. Damage took the treat and walked back to his bed to lie down to enjoy it. She didn't hear any movement so she made her way towards the bathroom. She got herself some aspirin for the headache that had formed while she was thinking on her walk back home. After she finished the cup of water, she put it back on the sink and turned to head towards the bedroom.

As she walked back into the hallway, she jumped nearly half a foot in the year and threw her hand to her chest as she yelped in surprise. Standing in the hallway was Luke, with his hair disheveled and his glasses thrown on sloppily, aiming a gun at her.

Luke sighed and relaxed his arms. "You scared the hell out of me," He said, running his hand through his hair.

Grace stared at him, wide-eyed. "I scared the hell out of _you_?" She asked incredulously. Luke nodded. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Grace said in a harsh whisper, smacking Luke angrily in the chest.

"Ow! What?" Luke asked, sounding confused.

Grace grabbed his arm and dragged him to the living room so she could talk louder without waking the girls up. "What the hell would possess you to bring a gun in our apartment?" She asked him angrily.

"It's registered. I know how to use it. They trained me at work," Luke shrugged. "I figured it would be better to be prepared."

Grace smacked his arm again. "We have little kids in the apartment!"

"Ow. I hid it way out of Lara's reach and Brynn's only a couple of months old," Luke defended himself.

Grace clenched her jaw in anger, holding her hands out as she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Luke," She said seriously, "I want it out of here. If Lara happens upon it one night when we're exhausted and we lapse inpaying attention…"

"That's not going to happen," Luke assured. "Why do you have such an issue with me trying to make sure we're safe?"

"We don't need a pistol to be safe," Grace argued. "I don't want that in our apartment. So many things can go wrong…"

Luke advanced forward, putting his free hand on her shoulder. "I won't let the girls get near it. You won't even know it's here. And if we need it, then it will be here," He reasoned.

Grace shook her head, closing her eyes and trying to keep her composure. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "We're going away in the morning. I want that unloaded and locked away until we get back. When we get back, I want it gone-,"

"Grace," Luke seemed confused still as to what the big deal was. Logically, he couldn't understand how Grace could think he would let Lara or Brynn get near it, no matter how old they were. He seemed to miss the idea that despite the best planning, the girls could still find the weapon, on purpose or by accident.

"Luke," Grace interrupted Luke right back. "This is not up for discussion. I understand you're freaked okay, I am too. I won't let you put us in more danger then we already are in. You could have shot me just now! I'm done talking about this," She said sternly.

Luke frowned. He put the weapon down on the counter of the window cut out and stepped forward. "I'm sorry," He said, reaching to pull her to him. Grace backed out of his embrace, shaking her head.

"Just…" She looked at him, clearly shaken still. "Let's get to sleep; we have an early day…" She walked around him and headed for their bedroom, leaving Luke to stare down at his feet guiltily rubbing at the back of his head.

**

* * *

June 5th, 2015**

"Good morning you two," Cappy said the next morning when Grace and Luke came down to the lobby early the next morning. Luke was pushing the strolled with Brynn in it. Damage's leash was tied to the stroller as he stood next to it wagging his tail. He had a large duffle bag over one shoulder and an overstuffed diaper bag over the other. Grace was wheeling a suitcase, with another duffle bag over her shoulder and balancing Lara on her hip with her other arm.

"Hey Cappy, what's going on?" Grace asked as Luke dug for his keys to go get their car.

"Another robbery," Cappy frowned.

Luke and Grace exchanged a glance. They hadn't spoken much yet this morning. Grace averted her eyes and looked back at Cappy.

"Where?" She asked.

"8 doors down from you," Cappy told her.

Grace swallowed hard.

"How did they get in?" Luke asked.

"Johnny was outside breaking up a scuffle. They snuck in when he wasn't paying attention and left out the fire escape. Terrible, terrible thing, really," Cappy continued, shaking his head. "The young woman who lived there was attacked and…" Cappy trailed off. "Don't you worry; I'm going to make sure nothing else happens. By the time you get back this will all be in the past," He assured. Grace kept asking questions as Luke went to get their car and pull it around.

* * *

"Are we going to just ignore each other for the whole trip?" Luke asked two hours into the ride after the girls had fallen asleep and Damage has stopped pacing the floor of the backseat and was now chewing on a bone as he lie on the floor. Luke didn't take his eyes off the road as he drove. Grace tore her eyes from looking out the window to glance at him. She looked back out the window. She closed her eyes and gave her head a slight shake.

"Why would you make a decision like that without even talking to me?" Grace tried to make her statement sound like she was angry. The hurt she felt was the emotion that came through when she spoke though.

Luke frowned. "I didn't think you were going to react the way you did…" He sounded small and weak.

Grace turned to look at him. "How should I have reacted? Luke in a year or two Lara and Brynn are going to be going through everything and anything that strikes them as curious. Do you want them to find a gun and blow one of their heads off?" She asked. She was highly aware that even the thought that this could happen made her eyes fill. When had she gone this soft and emotional?

Luke's frown deepened. "You know I don't want that," He said. Grace caught him glancing in the backseat at the sleeping babies. They fell back to silence.

"I just…I want to be prepared, Grace…" Luke broke the silence nearly 20 minutes later. He glanced at her and then back at the road. "You know…when he comes after us…"

Grace nodded and sighed. "I understand how you feel," She replied. Daringly, she reached her hand up and rested it on his arm, which was extended to the steering wheel. "But when did we stop talking about what was bothering us? If you would have told me about this we could have figured out a way to make you feel better without going through all of this."

"I'm sorry…" Luke's voice shook. Grace knew that Luke really was sorry, but she still felt upset about the whole situation. She understood perfectly what Luke was feeling because she felt it too. She also understood that he was grasping at straws for what to do to protect them. She sighed softly. She glanced into the backseat for a moment before turning back to Luke. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I know," She told him. Just like that, they returned to their silence. Grace reached out and turned the radio on, but kept the volume down. The silence wasn't tense now. It was more relaxed. Luke and Grace both sat with their own thoughts as they finished out the ride to the Lake.

**

* * *

June 10th, 2015**

By the time Monday, the 8th, had rolled around, with everyone around to occupy the kids, Luke and Grace had gotten time to further discuss their current situation. They had straightened everything out and both felt that they were okay to move on and let it go.

An early summer heat wave rose temperatures to the mid-80's. The whole clan was at the Lake with many other families. They had a large blanket spread out with a picnic basket full of food and a cooler full of all kinds of drinks for everyone. Kevin and Will were having a catch with their gloves and a baseball. Helen and Lily were sitting under an umbrella that Will had dug into the dirt. Helen had just finished feeding Brynn and was burping her. Lily was sitting with Justin in her lap. He was sprawled about her, with his head on her shoulder, drooling as he slept. Justin rounded out Lily and Kevin's family as the youngest. He had turned two the week before they went on vacation. Nearby them in the grass lay Damage and Nugget, Lily and Kevin's beagle. The dogs were tethered to a stake that had been hammered in the dirt to keep them from running about. They were enjoying some brand new bones to chew on as they lay in the shade.

The lake was large and they had set up near the dock. Out in the water, Adam was occupying Gabe and Katie. Both were good swimmers, but Gabe still had bright orange floaties on his arms as he practiced swimming towards Adam. Katie was swimming circles around them and singing songs in a round inner tube. Luke was nearby with a small blow up raft. Inside the raft was a towel and a thin layer of water. Lara and Mac were sitting on the wet towel playing with carious toys and teething rings. They both had on cute little bathing suits and bucket hats that tied under their chins and block their faces from the sun. Luke cooed at them as he floated through the water with the raft, making sure they didn't fall over into the half inch of water in the bottom of it. The two girls were having a ball laughing and splashing at the little bit of water and the faces Luke was making at them.

Grace and Joan sat side by side on the dock. They left their feet in the water and leaned back on their hands in the sun. Both had saved their lifeguard bathing suits and were wearing them. They had initially made jokes at each other for still owning and fitting into the suits. They had also made inappropriate jokes about stretch marks and wearing bikinis, knowing that neither really cared.

About a hundred yards away there was a floating dock that held a diving board on it. Mostly teens were jumping off of it, but Kevin had allowed Caleb to go over and jump off as well. Caleb was an avid swimmer, and was already on a swim team. He knew how to correctly dive off of a diving board without getting hurt or hurting anyone else. Grace however, remained paranoid and watched him vigilantly. Grace noticed, as she talked to Joan, that some of the older boys were picking on Caleb every time he climbed up onto the square platform. Caleb, however, seemed undeterred by this, and simply waited his turn each time.

"So is everything okay now?" Joan asked Grace.

Grace turned her attention to the water nearby. She smiled slightly as she watched Luke playing peek-a-boo with the girls who were giggling madly at him and issuing gibberish.

"Yeah…we're good," Grace nodded.

"Good, you two scared me for a day or two there," Joan commented.

Grace's attention was pulled back to the diving dock Caleb was on. The kids who looked like their ages varied from 12 to 16, were picking on Caleb as he stood fifth in line. He simply kept his hands together in front of him and waited, inching forward when the line moved up. The four kids behind him formed a half circle. Grace couldn't hear exactly what they were saying as she moved her hand to her forehead to block the sun from her eyes. She saw the kids shoving at Caleb's shoulders and back, almost knocking him off balance and was alarmed. Caleb was soon second in line and the kids were still picking on him. Finally, Caleb spun around and faced them. He yelled at them, to shut up, Grace suspected.

The other kids did not seem to take well to this. All at once they were shouting at him and shoving him. Grace stood to her feet swiftly, causing Joan's attention to shift. Luke and Adam saw her out of the corner of their eyes and looked over. Helen looked over from the beach and soon Lily had looked up as well.

"HEY!" Grace yelled, alarmed at how far Caleb wobbled as they shoved at him. He yelled for them to stop but they persisted.

"What the…" Joan leaned forward from her sitting position. Luke and Adam made their way closer to the dock Joan and Grace were on with the kids.

"What's going on?" Adam asked. Joan was in the middle of filling them in when a loud splash came from Caleb's direction.

Lily screamed and before the others could even react to find out what going, Grace was already gone from the dock. When Joan dropped into the water, Luke and Adam knew something other then just Caleb falling in the water had happened. The boys on the diving dock were staring in shock at the water. Luke gathered Gabe and Katie and brought the kids out of the water as Adam followed Joan towards where Caleb was. Will was rushing into the water at the shore's edge, where Kevin sat, and Lily and Helen stood in shock.

Adam and Joan reached the diving dock at the same time as Will and all of them ducked under water to look for Caleb after seeing a splotch of blood on metal pole that held the diving board in place. They surfaced together, horrified when they couldn't find Caleb. They heard coughing and looked to the shore.

Grace had taken a running dive off the dock and made it over to Caleb seconds after he'd hit the water. Now she had him on the shore, flat on his back with a towel under his head. Even from the distance the others could see there was blood soaking into the towel. Caleb looked limp. Only his upper body moved as he coughed.

Will ushered the teens to the shore as park officials arrived. They quickly assessed Caleb's condition as they waited for an ambulance that another vacationer had called. Lily and Kevin followed as they brought Caleb to the ambulance. Lily went in the ambulance with him as the others gathered everything and everyone together.

"Dad, you and mom take Kevin and follow the ambulance. We'll meet you there," Luke said, taking charge of the situation. Will nodded and obliged, now that the parker officials had custody of the teens and were berated them, preparing to take them in. Luke, Adam, Grace and Joan packed everything and got the kids together. They walked half a mile to the house and dropped off all they didn't need.

* * *

By the time they'd gotten to the house, Will had called and told them just to wait at the house. They had made dinner for the kids and managed to get them to lie down on the living room floor and watch a movie. The youngest were asleep. Joan and Adam sat on the couch, shaken. Luke sat on the loveseat. Grace was sitting just outside on the front steps. From what they could see, she looked like she was shaking.

"I'll be right outside," Luke walked towards the door. Adam and Joan simply nodded. Luke stepped out and sat down next to Grace.

Grace shivered. She had a towel wrapped around her. Her hair hung in her face, still drying. Luke ran his hand up and down her back.

"Are you all right?" He asked her cautiously. Grace hadn't been in any kind of water other than shower water, since the summer that Ryan had tried to drown her. Luke caught her flinching sometimes when she would give Lara a bath in the kitchen sink. He had once had to shake her to stop her from freaking out when the tub pipe had clogged while she was taking a shower, causing the water to rise. Today, though, she had been scared to go in the water. Sure she had stuck her feet in the water but, she was seated safely on the dock. It amazed Luke that she had been in the water and over to Caleb before any of the others even so much as reacted. She hadn't even hesitated.

Grace sucked in a long gulp of air and let it come out with a shiver. She nodded, but then changed her mind and shook her head. Her shoulders wobbled a bit and Luke pulled her in to lean against him. Grace buried her head into the crook of his neck and let in another shuddering breath.

Luke kissed the top of her head and reached his right hand up to push her sticky, wet hair away from her face, keeping his left arm tightly around her.

"You're quite the hero today," He tried to make lighter of the situation.

"Why would they pick on someone so much younger then them?" Grace finally asked. "He wasn't even doing anything to them. They could have killed him…"

"I know…but you were there," Luke told her. "You saved his life, Grace."

Grace was silent for a moment. "I couldn't just let him drown," She said as if there had never been a thought in her mind other than getting in the water and getting Caleb out. Luke knew that now, though, it was hitting Grace that she'd been in that water and now the memories were flooding back into her mind. She was thinking about the look on Luke's distraught and contorted face as she fought to keep her eyes open in the ambulance. She was thinking about how her parents hadn't even called to see if she was okay when she was in the hospital afterwards. She was thinking of Ryan's eyes and the expression on his face as he held her under with his hands clamped firmly around her neck as she inhaled the salty water.

Luke felt her shudder against him. "It's okay, Grace, you're safe," He promised her. Grace couldn't respond. She simply let Luke hold onto her.

* * *

Will, Helen, Kevin and Lily didn't return with Caleb until almost 11pm. Luke and Grace was the only one still up when they returned. Luke had fallen asleep on the floor with Lara, Brynn, Justin and Mac piled against him. Adam an Joan were asleep on the couch with Gabe and Katie in their laps. Grace stood up and held the front door open as Will carried his oldest grandson in carefully and brought him right back into one of the bedrooms on the first floor. Grace noticed he had a large gauze pad taped to his temple. Kevin wheeled in with Helen and Lily behind him. Lily looked as though she were going to fall over at any moment.

"We should get to sleep," Helen suggested, leading Lily back towards the room she and Kevin were staying in, which was next to the room Will have brought Caleb, where he and Katie had been sleeping every night. Grace watched the two women as they disappeared. She didn't know what to say. Grace turned her head when she felt someone squeeze her hand. She looked over and saw that Kevin had wheeled right up next to her.

He tilted his head up to reveal his watery eyes as he reached his other hand up to pat the back of her hand that he was holding.

"Thank you…" He told her as she turned to face him.

Grace shook her head, "No…it was-,"

"It was not nothing…" Kevin cut her off. He nodded. "Just…thank you…." He pressed his lips tightly together.

"I-Is he all right?" She cleared her throat as Kevin slowly let go of her hand.

"He doesn't have a concussion, but they needed to put 7 stitches in the right side of his forehead," Kevin coughed to clear his throat as he talked. He nodded. "He's going to be okay. I don't think he'll be happy that he won't be able to swim for a few weeks."

"I'm glad he's okay," Grace nodded.

"Thanks to you," Helen said, reappearing in front of Grace and sweeping her into a firm hug. Grace tensed, but didn't pull away. "After all you've been through with water, Grace…" Helen quickly became choked up. Grace knew Helen was thanking her.

She nodded. "Don't mention it," She replied nervously. "Any aunt would have done the same," She cleared her throat. Helen squeezed her once more and then let go. She thanked Grace again and then went to wake the others to move the kids to more comfortable beds. Grace said goodnight and scooped up Brynn, following Luke, who had Lara, up the stairs to their rooms.

**

* * *

June 14th, 2015**

"They're back! Make sure nothing's out of place and get out of there," Johnny barked into a walkie-talkie just before Luke and Grace entered the lobby with their children and belongings. "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Girardi," Johnny smiled that fake smile of his.

Sometimes Grace wished she could slap it right off of his face and demand to know what he was up to. Instead she let Luke greet him as they passed.

"I'm telling you, something is going on with him," Grace said as they walked up the hallway to their apartment. "I don't trust him."

"I agree with you-can I help you?" Luke asked when they reached their door.

A woman with long dark hair and olive colored skin stood outside their door. Grace could have sworn she was jiggling the door's handle. She shook her head and pushed the thought away when she saw the woman knocking on the door. The woman jumped and grabbed her heart.

"Oh you scared me," She said innocently. "I was just knocking for Mandy, my friend."

Grace looked at the woman suspiciously.

Luke pointed down the hall. "Mandy lives two doors down," He said.

The woman looked at the number on Luke and Grace's door and then laughed. "Oh! Silly me, I'm sorry!" She headed down the hallway passed them. She seemed happy that Mandy wasn't there, and she slid a note under the door before leaving as Grace and Luke entered their apartment.

"Let's just unpack tomorrow…" Grace dropped onto the couch, holding Lara up. "What do you think about that?" She asked. Lara reached out and grabbed at Grace's chin and necklace, issuing a series of gibberish as drool slid down her chin. Grace laughed at her and pulled Lara in to sit on her lap.

"Sounds good to me," Luke sighed as he cradled Brynn to him and sat next to Grace with a sigh.

* * *

Ryan laughed wickedly and rubbed his hands together.

"How was that?" Dom asked, crawling up into his lap. Ryan glanced around her and the various TV monitors on the desk behind her. They all held images from what looked like security cameras. He looked at the one of Grace and Luke's living room where Grace and Luke were lounging on the couch talking to the two babies. They listened over the speakers to what Luke and Grace were saying. Ryan laughed again.

"You were the perfect little vixen today," He said with a deep growl in his throat as he leaned in and savagely started licking and sucking at her neck. Dominique easily smiled and drove her mouth towards his happy to please him.

"What do we do now?" She asked, breathing heavy gasps between their rough foreplay.

"We wait…and watch…" He growled hungrily as he made short work of her clothing and his own. "And then we pounce…" He said with a sick laughter.

Dominique liked the plan less and less with each passing day. She still couldn't grasp why Ryan wanted to harm this peaceful little family so much. But having his body rock against her, she found her morals melting away into lust filled bliss. She'd do whatever he wanted if he would just keep making her feel like this.

* * *

"Jojo…pssst…Jojo! Get up already!"

Joan sat up swiftly in bed. She looked to her left and saw that the bed was empty.

"He's in the other room with the littlest rugrat. Mac's her name right?"

Joan rubbed her eyes and looked to the chair in the corner of the room, where Judith sat sideways with her legs over the armrest. Judith smiled as she spoke.

"Adorable. Seriously, she's cute as button. Personally I think you should call her by her middle name," Judith swung her legs as she rambled. "Promise me you'll teach her how to juggle," She mocked sternness.

"Judith?" Joan felt too groggy to deal with this. Judith stopped and looked at Joan, waiting for her to continue speaking. "First of all, we're not going to call her by her middle name just because her middle name is Judith. Second of all, yes, whatever, I'll teach her to juggle, when she's older. And what are you doing here?" She asked as she heard Adam over the baby monitor, singing and talking to Mac.

"Cute, really," Judith said, picking up the monitor and turning it down. She sat down next to Joan, who had thrown her legs over the side of the bed and was rubbing her face. "Personally, I was shocked you didn't get back with him sooner," She spoke up. "But, down to business, chica, it's time to get serious," Judith said sternly.

Joan turned her head and looked at Judith. She sighed. "I wish you were really here…I'd love to see you strangle Ryan Hunter…"

"I _am_ really here, for the last time," Judith argued.

"Shh! Gabe's sleeping," Joan said before she could catch herself.

"I know he is," Judith smiled. "He was actually awake until I showed up. He was going to go climb up the cabinets to get a cookie. He does that sometimes late at night when you two are sleeping," She almost laughed at the looked on Joan's face. "Relax Jojo, I never let him get hurt," She promised.

"There is so much wrong with all of this…" Joan crossed her arms.

"You keep knocking me off track. I'm here for a reason," Judith changed the subject.

"Ohhhh…" Joan groaned and sighed. "Lay it on me…"

"I want you to swear to me you will not give up fighting," Judith said, looking Joan dead in the eyes. Joan furrowed her brow and studied Judith's face.

"Judith…what?" She asked, confused.

"Promise me you will not give up, no matter what happens," Judith said again. "Even if you think you can't fight anymore…"

"Judith, what are you talking about?" Joan's eyes widened. "Do you mean fighting Ryan?"

Judith didn't answer. She bit the side of her lip.

"Don't do this stupid cryptic stuff with me, Judith. What's he going to do? Is he going to hurt Grace? Or Luke? Adam? What's going to happen?" Joan demanded.

"I…don't know all of that," Judith said. Joan knew she was lying, but she couldn't tell what she was lying about.

"Judith, no, I can't do this," Joan shook her head. "I need to…go back…can't we go back and fix this? Can't we stop this? I can't do this alone…"

"Jojo…" Judith said slowly. "We can't go back. It's up to all of you to stop this. And you're not alone Jo, you've go any army-,"

"Judith-,"

"Jojo, stop," Judith said sternly. "I know you're scared. I wish I was here more often. I wish I could do nothing but protect all of you all day and all night long. But we both know I can't. It's up to you now, Jo…you have to trust." Her eyes glistened over. "I'll do my best to keep you safe…just promise me, I don't' have much more time, you have to promise me before I leave," Judith demanded.

Joan nodded slowly, feeling her heart pound. "I promise…" Her voice came out in a whisper. "I promise," She nodded. She watched as Judith tearfully stood and left, walking straight through the wall.

* * *

A couple of minutes later, Adam came into the bedroom and climbed into his side. She felt his arm around her and his lips on his shoulder.

"Everything okay?" He asked. Joan curled into him, listening to his heartbeat.

"Adam?" She asked.

"Ya?" He replied, running his hands about her hair soothingly. He placed a kiss in her hair.

"Promise me something?" She asked.

"Anything," He replied.

Joan turned her head and looked at him. He was alarmed at how watery her eyes looked. She was distraught and he wondered what had brought that feeling on. Was it a dream? Was God here?

"Promise me…that if anything happens to me, you'll protect them and you won't give up, ever," She said sternly.

Adam looked highly alarmed at this. "What's going to happen to you?" He asked, feeling shaken.

Joan shook her head and shrugged. "Please…just promise me," She begged.

"Jane…did God-,"

"Adam…" Joan cut him off, looking directly in his eyes and running her hand to his cheek. "Please, just…promise me…"

Adam nodded slowly, his own eyes filling now. He kissed her tenderly. "I promise…" He offered quietly. Joan put her head down against his chest again and the two of them lay awake in the darkness. They didn't speak, they just laid together, both shaken and both lost in horrible thoughts.

**

* * *

A/N: And there you have chapter 3. It was kind of choppy I know but it wasn't so bad was it? Oh, before I forget, are the bolded dates bothering anyone, or are they working out okay and being useful? They're mostly in place so I can keep it straight in my head, I thought you guys might like to make use of them. Let me know!**

**P.S. – Special props to Tiff, because I said so (damnit update you!) **

**Chapter title from "Long Way Down" by The Goo Goo Dolls.**

**Responses: Kool-Wolf – **Lol, sure, sure I think you do mean that in a creepy way! P.S. – one of the big showdowns of this story will be in either chapter 4 or 5. I know you're itching for on of those. Good suggestion about the stuff with the rabbi. (I love how no one goes by his name he's just the rabbi.). I also love how you only want me to die after the story. Thanks. Violence to you! P.S. – welcome for the long chapter.

**Mermaid Gurl 95 – **Thanks for the kudos. Okay on the reading the other stories, I just didn't want you to get the tail end with out the beginning! )

**Carol – **Thanks for the kudos! You'll have to wait and see about Ryan's daughter. I haven't worked out in my head exactly what I'm going to do with her, but I have a base of ideas in that area churning around. I know the kids thing is played out but, it just fit when I was writing it so I put it in. They all have purposes and it grounds the characters more, at least in my mind. Thanks again! P.S. – I make no promises about the killing anyone part….!

**Sam – **Helllooooo! By the end of this story, you're going to think I'm evil after what Ryan's going to do…There's going to be more on the finger print thing in the next chapter. I think I may have put that in too early, but I'm not sure. Something is happening with the rabbi, you guessed right. But what is it? Well, I can't tell you that! Thanks for the kudos! I'm glad it's a treat to read this when you get back from class! Much love!

**Coveredinrain16 – **You love this story, I love when you review this story! Little kids are always cute! HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAY! Mine's Dec. 7th. Hahaha, my friend e-mailed me and asked me why I made God Ryan's daughter. He was confused. Whoa, I'm a genius? SWEET! Thanks again! Much love!

**Sayxanything – **Of course I'll keep going! Gabe's such a fun character. Seriously. I love him. Haha, I'm sorry I freaked you out with Liese. I can't tell you if she's innocent or part of the evil plot! That's like a major spoiler! Is she or isn't she? Hmmmm! Poor Luke indeed. He's lost, or feeling that way some of the time. Yay for a song about cows! Much love!

**Audrey – **Thanks for the kudos. Yuck to Ryan indeed! He'll suffer later…maybe. Dude, total triple yay for your updates! Much love to you! (P.S. – is Kevin going to wind up getting Joan sent back to crazy camp in your story?)

**Tiffany – **Thank, thank, thank, thank, thank you! Can't give you the Liese spoiler, yo, sorry! Muahahaha, the suspense must be so horrible! You really did miss me by that much! I would have IMed you earlier that time but I had just signed on! Homework blows…much love!

**Hezziebob – **Thank you for the kudos! I hope the wait was worth it! Much love!

**Magentabear – **Thanks for the kudo-ness. I was expecting more people to comment about Dominique. But I can see how Anneliese was more confusing and shocking I suppose. Her role is going to be…interesting. (Hard to speak about without giving things away, ha!) Thanks again! Much love!


	4. Fear Is Not The End Of This

**Story: Keep the Faith  
Rating: T-M  
Disclaimer: **You know the drill.  
**A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)**

**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Fear Is Not The End of This**

**July 6th, 2015**

"Mama…" Lara's voice gurgled through sobs as she reached out for grace from the sink.

"I know, I know it feels cold to you, but that's because you've got a fever and it's about a thousand degrees…" Grace said to Lara, who was crying as she sat in the lukewarm soapy water that filled up the sink reaching up to Grace in an effort to beg Grace to pick her up out of the water. She was seated on a towel that Grace had placed in the bottom of the sink to keep her from slipping.

Thankfully Brynn had decided to stay asleep. Grace's shirt and hair were splattered with water and there were random soap bubbles popping as they sat in her hair. She was multi-tasking with the bath. Lara had been sick since the day before. The doctor had given her medicine and said it was just a cold. Grace had decided to give Lara a bath when Lara had decided to throw up her dinner. She also figured it might help bring her daughter's fever down.

Grace sighed as the phone rang. She leaned over and grabbed the receiver, sticking it between her shoulder and ear. "Hello?" She asked as she finished rinsing Lara off, scooping the distraught 16 month old into her arms, wrapped in a thick fluffy towel.

"Hey…everything okay?" Luke replied, hearing Lara's whimpers.

"Sick baby does not like bath time when dealing with a fever…" She said as she let herself sway, rubbing Lara's back, trying to calm her down. Lara put her head down on Grace's shoulder. Her little sobs subsided, giving way to shuddering short little breaths as the little girl tried to steady her own breathing out now that she was exhausted.

"Ah…but it is going down right? The fever?" Luke asked quickly, feeling a little paranoid.

Grace bit back some laughter, mostly so she didn't startle Lara and cause her to cry again. "Yeah. She'll be good as new by the morning," Grace replied. She spotted the clock. "It's almost six, you know," She stated.

"Yeah…I know, about that," Luke began.

"Staying late?" Grace asked.

"Not much longer. I'll be home by nine-ten at the very latest," He assured her.

Grace was silent for a moment. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You barely even slept again last night…" She spoke up as she walked into Lara's room where she laid the toddler down and began to prepare her for bed as Lara stared up at Grace silently and sullen as Grace talked to Luke on the phone.

"I don't want to stay. In fact I'd rather already be home. I'm sure you're tired," Luke rambled slightly. "But there are just a few things I have to test and then I'll be home."

"I thought you were done with the fingerprint stuff?" Grace responded.

"I'm pretty sure I am, but you know…have to test it all out. I promise after tonight no more late nights," Luke told her. "Oh, before I forget, Adam and Joan said they'd watch the girls on Friday for a few hours."

"What's Friday?" Grace asked after she'd snapped Lara's footy pajamas on and lifted the toddler back into her arms. She sat down in the rocking chair in the corner of Lara's room and started to rock with her.

"Schlock festival at the theater," He almost laughed as he said it.

Grace heard herself laugh a little. "Do you have shoes to burn first?" She asked him. They both laughed for a few minutes. Lara laughed because she heard Grace laugh. "Your daughter says she wants you to come home sooner rather than later," Grace said.

"In that case no later than nine," He assured.

"I'd better go and finish getting her to sleep," Grace cleared her throat.

"All right," Luke replied. "Grace? I love you."

"I love you too," Grace said, smiling to herself, "Don't think that gets you out of late night diaper duty though."

Luke laughed. They both said goodbye and hung up. Grace set the receiver down on the nearby end table to devote her full attention to Lara, who was just about asleep. Grace shifted her head as she rocked the chair slowly, running her hands in smooth circles on Lara's back.

"See, you already feel like you're fever's going down little girl…" She said as her cheek rested at the top of Lara's head. When she could tell Lara was asleep, she turned and cradled the toddler in her arms so she could look down at her daughter. "It really is dangerous you know…how much I love you…" She whispered with a soft sigh. Lara's eyes popped open for a split second and she let out a sharp, short cry and then went right back to sleep. Grace smiled slightly. "Yeah, your sister too," She admitted.

* * *

"What are you still doing here, kid?" Luke's partner, who normally picked up where he left off at night, said as she entered the lab, shedding her jacket and pulling on her white lab coat. She was surprised to see Luke in the lab with just his suit pants and button up shirt on. His jacket was across a nearby desk with his tie strewn on top of it. He sat in a rolling desk chair in front of a table load of weapons-guns, blunt objects, knives-and various objects like cups, shoes and books. He had purple medical latex gloves on, and clear goggles. 

"Grab that red flashlight and hit the lights," Luke said as he picked up each object, and then put them back down before spraying them with a strange orange liquid.

Zoë was going to question him but changed her mind. She put on her own gloves and goggles and did as Luke asked. "What are we doing?" She flipped the light, allowing red light to shine about them.

Luke reached out a hand for the flashlight. "This right here," He indicated the spray bottle with the orange liquid in it, "Is going to revolutionize finger printing," He grinned.

"How?" Zoë, who was twenty years Luke's senior and sometimes felt he knew more than her, asked.

"Check it out," He aimed the light at the objects.

Zoë stared at them. She picked up a large steak knife and turned it over in her hands. As she turned it, more fingerprints became available. "Are those mine?" She marveled.

"Yes they are," Luke smiled proudly.

"Luke, how did you do this?" She turned to look at him.

"Just a simple concoction I cooked up," He put his hands behind his head jubilantly. "If a perpetrator is wearing latex, leather, wool, suede or those yellow rubber cleaning gloves, and they pick something up, this stuff will detect it, using that light." He grinned. "Even if they clean the handle of say this gun," Luke took a rag and wiped vigorously at the handle of the gun. He put it back down and sprayed it before shining the light back on it. "Twice as many prints," He grinned.

"That's…amazing," Zoë was astounded. She clapped Luke on the shoulder. "Looks like I'm going to get a new partner, since you'll be moving on up with this discovery," She said.

Luke just smiled proudly. Zoë looked at her watch.

"Okay, take that stuff and go home," She ordered as she handed him his jacket and tie. "She's probably worried sick."

"She knows I'm getting home late," Luke assured, draping his jacket over his arm and grabbing his bottled formula. He walked over and shut down his computer, assuring he had his briefcase.

"Give her and the kids extra hugs for me!" Zoë said as Luke left.

"Gladly!" He called back to her.

* * *

Luke decided to splurge just a bit, stopping at the store and then hailing a cab instead of taking the subway home. He spent the whole ride thinking about Grace and the girls. He battled being happy and proud of himself and being terrified and anxious about their safety. Money meant stability and safety in the long run for things like school, health and relocating to somewhere beside the middle of New York City. But by no means had they been hurting for money. 

They lived in a good apartment. They had more then enough left over after the bills every month to live comfortably. Grace pulled in twice as much money as Luke when she worked. Mostly it was because she tackled twice as many cases as her partners in the firm in the same amount of time while still managing to do pro bono cases for clients who truly couldn't afford a lawyer but Grace felt it would be an injustice to leave a case-appointed lawyer to do the job.

Money was also going to cause problems. People would think he owed them. The news would surely boast about a new invention to stop criminals fives times better than the current fingerprinting method. It would cast unwanted attention on his family. Luke wondered if there was a way to avoid this without causing an uproar. He sighed as the cab pulled up outside of his building. He paid the driver and gathered his things before heading inside the building.

* * *

"You know, I almost forgot this tub was big enough for two," Joan commented quietly. She and Adam lay in their deep, old fashioned tub in the bathroom. Candles dotted the windowsill ledges and the back of the toilet. They left the main light off and kept the night light plugged in, creating a pleasant glow in the room. Adam rested his back against one end and Joan the other. Their legs tangled together under the layer of bubbles floating above the surface of the warm water. 

Joan rested her head back against a rolled up towel. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. It had been a long day. She opened her eyes with a smile when she felt Adam reached down and lift her feet firmly into his lap, running his slightly rough and calloused hands over her feet, working the tenseness out of them.

"You said yourself, shower time was the only quiet time we got," He smiled and shrugged. "You looked beat when you came home, I thought I'd try and fix that."

"Well, you've succeeded," Joan said with a yawn.

"Good," He grinned at her.

After a few moments, Joan pulled her feet away and turned her body around so she could lie against Adam. He easily opened his arms and pulled her in, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"You know that promise…from a few weeks ago?" Adam asked her after they sat together peacefully for a few minutes.

"Yeah?" Joan felt some of the muscles in her back and shoulders tense up.

"What was that about?" Adam asked cautiously.

"I just…needed to know…that you would…" Joan said anxiously.

"Jane…" Adam said slowly.

"Adam, really…everything's fine. I'm okay, you're okay-we're all okay. It's all right," Joan sound unconvinced herself.

"If God…or…whoever told you something bad was going to happen to you…would you tell me?" Adam's voice sounded urgent.

Joan looked at him. "Of course I would…"

"Okay…" Now it was Adam's turn to sound unconvinced.

"It wasn't a warning about anyone specific…" Joan finally spoke up with a sigh. "It was the usual cryptic B.S. I don't know what's going to happen, Adam. I just know something bad is heading our way. It's like the weather channel…they know there's a big storm brewing, like a category 4 hurricane, they just don't know if it's going to hit Florida or New Orleans until it's too late to board up the windows and head for higher ground."

"Well…the warning's there…we just have to be vigilant…" Adam decided.

Joan nodded, her head lying on Adam's shoulder. She felt scared and unsure. She wondered what would happen to Gabe and Mac if anything were to happen to her and Adam.

"We're gonna be all right, I think," Adam spoke after a few moments. "I won't let anything happen to you…or Gabe and Mac. Besides…" Adam smiled as he looked down at Joan. "I'd hate to see what Grace would do to anyone who laid a threatening finger on them…or you," He said.

"Or you," Joan finished for him. Adam nodded. He leaned in and kissed Joan for a long time.

"We're going to make it through this one," He said firmly. Still, Joan couldn't stop that nagging, aching feeling that rose inside of her. She was pretty certain they wouldn't make it through this time without casualty; it was just a matter of who that casualty would be.

* * *

By the time Luke got home, Grace was out on the balcony. It was a large balcony that extended off of the living room. Normally they kept the door locked firmly. Grace had left the glass door open, but the screen door shut to keep out the bugs. There were clear plastic sheets securely fastened around the wrought iron that framed the cement balcony. On the left side sat a round table with 4 chairs tucked into it. On the right side was a swinging hammock. Grace was seated in the hammock with her legs tucked under her. Se held the baby monitor in her hand as she swayed on the hammock and looked out at the city and up at the sky, waiting for Luke. Damage lay on the cool cement in the hot summer night just next to the hammock. Every now and then Grace reached a hand out and scratched at his ears. 

Luke spotted her when he entered. He saw her turn her head and he knew she heard him. She didn't move though. She knew he was going to go see the girls first. And he did. Luke went straight back to his and Grace's room, where he placed a kiss on Brynn's head before assuring she was tucked in just right. He unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them to his elbows as he headed for Lara's room. He even undid the top three buttons of his shirt. Exhaustion was setting in as he straightened Lara's blanket and kissing her forehead as well. After a few moments, he headed back for the balcony with a bottle under his arm and glasses in his hand.

"Hey," He smiled, leaning in and kissing Grace.

"Hey," Grace smiled slightly. She set the monitor down on the plastic table next to her. "What's this?" She asked, looking at the green champagne bottle that Luke was opening. Luke popped the cork out of it and poured it into the glasses.

"It's a celebration," He handed her a glass and put the bottle down on the ground before sitting in the hammock across from her. The pun was not lost on either of them.

"You go right ahead and celebrate," Grace said, eying the glass in her hand.

"Relax," He smiled. "It's sparkling apple cider."

Grace almost laughed at him. Instead she just smiled as he leaned forward over his Indian style crossed legs and raised his glass.

"And what are we toasting?" She asked, leaning forward and raising her own.

Luke took a deep breath, pushing his lips tightly together in thought. A car driving by below blared out Kool & the Gang's 'Celebration' and Luke grinned from ear to ear as he watched Grace trying in vain to hold back a smile. "To…harmonic resonance," He laughed. "To us, and our family…" He leaned closer towards her, "and the completion of third greatest creation of my life," He smiled, clinking his glass to hers before taking a sip.

Grace eyed him curiously. She knew he was talking about the fingerprint formula, but she wasn't sure why he was calling it the third best thing. "What are the firs two?" She asked, sipping the bubbling liquid.

Luke leaned close to her. "Our daughters," He said quietly. Grace found herself being pulled towards him. She kissed him for a long time, almost forgetting about the glass in her hand. Luke clinked his glass to hers again when they pulled away. "And to the best mother I know," He told her.

Grace snickered. "That would be your mom dude, not me," She finished her glass and set it next to the baby monitor. Luke set his empty glass on the ground. He shook his head.

"Well…it's an even tie then," He compromised.

Grace conceded. She was too tired to argue. She yawned, stretching her legs out to his lap as they let the hammock sway with them in it. "Anneliese is coming for dinner on Thursday," She spoke up.

Luke nodded. "I can come home early, watch the girls and cook if you want to go out with her by yourself for a little while?" He suggested.

Grace shook her head. "No, we'll be fine," She assured. Luke nodded. "So, lay it on me, brain, all about it."

Luke smiled. Grace loved to hear him do his science babble. Luke knew it too. She wanted to hear all about his discovery. He started rambling and she watched him intently through tired eyes, smiling slightly and admiring him as he spoke.

* * *

After almost an hour, Lara woke up. Luke went in to get her. He returned with her in one arm and his beat up acoustic guitar in his other hand. He sat Lara down in Grace's lap and Grace held her close as Luke sat back down across from them in the hammock. She raised her eyebrow at Luke as he tuned the guitar quickly. 

"What? She wanted me to sing. Like I could say no to her," He shrugged. Grace looked down at Lara. Lara curled herself against Grace and stuffed her thumb into her mouth, using her free hand to play with the necklace around Grace's neck as she watched Luke intently. Luke smiled at Lara. He let his fingers move easily across the strings and he started to sing as he and Grace swung the hammock in a slow rhythm. Even after Lara fell asleep halfway through the first song, Luke just kept singing while Grace listened. It was a peaceful ending to a long hot city day.

* * *

Collier found himself in a smoky room at the far corner of the bar. He sat with a bottle of cheap whiskey in front of hi, drinking it a little bit at a time from a short rounds glass. He leaned his head down against his fist and swallowed the burning liquid audibly. He had been there for nearly two hours now. It wasn't very crowded, mostly people who probably came here every day for a drink or two. The bartender took turns talking to each of them. 

"You done there buddy?" He finally made his way to Collier, who had made it halfway through the bottle now.

"Not yet," Collier stopped the man from taking the bottle by pouring himself another glass. He was feeling light headed and tingly, but he wasn't ready to stop yet. The bartender eyed him for a suspicious moment before nodded and turning to a woman who had just walked in. She sat adjacent to Collier two bar stools down.

"What can I get ya?" He asked as he slid a peanut bowl towards her and put a coaster down in front of her.

"Tequila and a shot glass," The woman said shortly.

Collier looked over at her. He squinted. She looked familiar. Feeling his gaze, the woman looked at him. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but the bartender came back with a bottle and the requested shot glass. She paid him and began pouring.

Collier felt himself staring. He knew he was staring at the woman but he couldn't help himself. He shook his head. Too many thoughts were jumbling together in his brain. He had another message.

This time it wasn't for Grace though. It was for Joan. It was right, in Collier's opinion, not to warn Grace. What was the use of great knowledge if you couldn't put it to proper use? What was worse was he already knew the outcome of either situation; if Joan listened to him or if Joan chose to ignore him. Either was possible. Regardless of what she chose, the outcome was going to be a tribulation that Collier didn't think was fair to put Grace through after all the things she'd spent her life surviving.

"Sing yourself a song,"

Collier looked up wearily as he set his glass down after downing another half glass of the harsh liquid. "Wha?" He asked spicily.

Slowly, the woman climbed off her chair, wobble a moment, and then dragged her tequila bottle and shot glass with her until she reached the bar stool next to his. She pulled herself into it and set her treasures down.

"You look like…you couldn't handle your own thoughts…" She slurred as she spoke, pouring herself another shot.

Collier stared at her with his mouth open slightly, blinking. He was trying to connect her words.

"My grandmother used to tell me to sing a song," She downed the shot and slammed the glass down on the bar, making a face as she swallowed the liquid down. "When my thoughts got too heavy for me to bear…" She told him.

Collier nodded slightly, letting the word sink in. He tried to put them to use but shrugged, shaking his head. "What do I sing?" He asked with a slight hiccup as he filled his glass up halfway again.

The woman laughed at him. "Anything you want," She filled up the shot glass for herself. She reached out and clinked her shot glass with his glass. "To singing your worries…away," She smiled.

Collier watched her do her shot as he tipped his glass to his lips and allowed a mouthful of liquid in. "Do your thoughts," He slurred, leaning closer to her as if they were sharing a secret, "normally get too much for you to bear?" He asked.

The woman nodded. "More now than ever," She smiled sadly.

"Why aren't you singing then?" He asked her.

The woman stared at her bottle of tequila for a moment, mulling this question over. She shrugged. "I'm trying to punish myself." She looked at him. "You look like you're well off," she indicated his suit. Collier's jacket was across the back of his chair. His tie was undone but resting around his neck and his button down dress shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as it lie unbuttoned down the front revealing his white T-shirt underneath. "What sorrows are you trying to drown?" She smiled wistfully. "Female troubles?"

Collier snorted as he downed the rest of his glass, reaching out to refill the cup while the woman downed another shot, made a face and reached to pour another. "No," He shook his head. "Spiritual," He eyed her for her reaction.

The woman was far enough gone that she laughed slightly. "At least come up with a better cover story," She said.

Collier polished off half of his drink and then looked at her for a moment before speaking. "I have a mission…from God…to deliver messages," He said seriously.

The woman stared at him for a moment with her mouth open. She let out a few nervous chuckles of laughter and smiled at him. "You need to work on your pick up lines," She downed another shot and made a sour face.

"You…you, you, you don't believe me?" Collier asked incredulously. He laughed with her. "I'm serial-us, I mean us. Serious." He stated as they laughed.

"Well, I'm sleeping with the devil in that case," The woman said, clinking her glass with his and then downing it.

Collier looked at her for a lingering moment before drinking a gulp from his cup. He squinted his eyes at her for a moment but he still couldn't figure out why he thought he knew who she was.

"So can you prove it?" The woman finally asked.

Collier studied her for another moment and then offered a half grin, finishing his cup. He pointed with his index finger, still holding the cup, down the bar. "See that first man there?" He asked. The woman nodded. "His name is Hank…he spends his days as a janitor in a high school. He's been stabbed 6 times, shot once, and forced to endure ridicule everyday. He lives for the weekends more than the students do. But do you know what keeps him working there?"

"What?" The woman asked.

"A runaway named Casey," Collier said. "She lives in the boiler room when her father comes home and abuses her. Hank brings her food and makes sure she has as much of the things she needs as he can bring to her. Any other janitorial worker would have already turned her in."

"Wow…" The woman replied, impressed. "What about the others?"

"The bartender," Collier continued, swigging back another half a glass and swallowing hard as his speech slurred. "He spent 8 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit before DNA tests cleared him. He saved 24 lives in there. He got down to the very core of their souls and changed their lives."

"Are you making this up?" The woman asked, starng at him seriously.

Collier laughed, but there was an inherent sadness in his voice as he held his hands out at his sides. "It's my curse," He mused. "A look in the eyes and BOOM…I know all that I need to know…thanks to the big G…"

"That doesn't seem like a curse at all," The woman smiled. "You could help a lot of people with that."

Collier laughed derisively, staring down at the glass he'd just filled. "That's the thing," He drank it and then slammed the cup down, staring at it with a set jaw. "It's against the rules…I can only interfere when it's time," He said darkly.

"When it's time to what?" She was enthralled in this conversation.

Slowly, Collier turned his head to looked at her, avoiding her eyes. "When it's time to take them home…" He said somberly.

The woman stared at him. He wouldn't look her in the eyes. She was trying to figure out if he was just totally drunk and psychotic, or if he was serious. Collier laughed chaotically again. Slowly his laughs changed into slow, shaking sighs, giving way to a couple of tears.

"So what, you're like the angel of death?" She asked him.

Collier shook his head. "Not exactly." He said sullenly.

"Do me," She said out of the blue.

Collier lifted his head swiftly and looked at her, caught off guard. The woman laughed.

"Not like that!" She snorted as she laughed, smacking his arm slightly. She cleared her throat. "I meant…read my mind or...my eyes, whatever," She said, straightening out in her chair and waiting.

Collier slowly let his eyes rise to meet hers. He squinted his left eyes slightly as he searched. Soon his eyes widened. She watched his eyes dart back and forth as he studied her.

"What? Am I destined to die a tragic death?" She asked, clearly not believing a thing Collier had said. She had chalked it up to being his drunkenness.

"Your name is Dominique Diordus. You were born in Seattle. You wanted to be a doctor your whole life until your mom died of cancer when you were 17. You lost your faith in the idealistic invincibility of doctors fixing all that was wrong with the world…" Collier began reciting. Dominique stared at him now. She couldn't make herself speak to tell him to stop. Her eyes filled as Collier continued. He reached his left hand to her shoulder and his right hand to the back of her neck to stop her from looking away. "From then on in you rebelled. You hung with the wrong crowds. You got that tattoo on your arm…and the one on your hip and your back because you thought it made you more badass," He swallowed hard as he went on.

"You met Ryan Hunter three years ago on your 24th Birthday-at the club you danced at," Collier said. Dom's eyes filled. A stray tear fell down from her left eye but Collier didn't stop. "You fell under his spell right away, when he started promising to save you from your downward spiral. But you know now, deep down, that he's only pulled you further into that empty blackness you've been fighting for nearly ten years. Do you hear me? You know now…you know down inside you. You know only you can stop yourself from staying lost inside his wicked lies and tricks…"

Dominique was nodded. She wanted Collier to continue. He was about to speak again when a young man cut him off. The man put his hand on Collier's shoulder.

"There you are Collier," He smiled at Collier.

Collier's eyes tore themselves away from Dominique's and he tried to focus. His face sobered slightly. He glanced at Dom and then back at God, tightly pushing his lips together. He nodded.

"I am sorry, Dominique…" Collier said. He went to walk but stumbled. Dominique watched as the other man steadied Collier. The new man looked younger than Collier. His brown hair was spiked up and he wore a simple pair of loose jeans, boots and a black T-shirt. He grabbed Collier's coat and handed it to him. Collier started swaying, now that he was standing instead of sitting stationary. He grabbed Dominique by her cheeks and kissed her.

"Don't let him control you. You…are better then that…doctor," Collier hiccupped.

"Okay, come on," The man started to lead Collier away. As he passed Dominique's ear while she sat still in shock, he spoke. "I'm very proud of you Dominique…you didn't give directly in. You're still trying to figure out what path you should take. Choose wisely. There'll be a cab waiting outside to take you wherever you choose to go," He told her.

Dominique turned her head and watched him help Collier out of the bar as Collier started spouting off facts about everyone as they went. He told them the good things about them as the other man escorted him with a silent smirk on his face. Dominique sat there and stared after them for a long time before she decided what she should do.

**

* * *

July 7th, 2015**

"Rove's watching the girls today," Grace said as she and Luke juggled getting through breakfast so they could leave on time. Grace had started working again during the last week of June. She was predominantly working at home. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she went into the office for meetings. Otherwise, she and Luke had converted their guest bedroom into an office for Grace. Gina was not her secretary and Collier's secretary. She forwarded messages to Grace from the office and kept up with and faxes Grace needed.

"I'll pick them up at 5:30," Luke nodded as Grace passed him with a sippy cup and a bowl of dry Cheerios. He reached out and caught her by the arm. Grace turned her head to look at him curiously. Luke pulled her closer to him and engulfed her in a kiss, lacing his hand to the nape of her neck as if he was trying to pull her closer.

When he pulled away, Grace let out a long breath, staring at him. "What was that for?" She asked breathlessly.

Luke smiled and swooped down for another, shorter and quicker kiss. "I need a reason now?" He asked quietly.

Grace shook her head. Her mouth hung agape just slightly and she kept her face close to his. This time she closed the gap between them for a prolonged moment. "Let's call in sick today…" She suggested with a rebellious smirk.

Luke snorted and smiled. "If only that were a possibility…" He teased, moving in for another kiss. He had managed to back Grace against the counter. Her hands were still occupied by the cup and bowl. They broke apart, laughing at themselves, when Lara called out to them and Brynn woke up screaming. Grace went to give Lara her breakfast and Luke went to see what Brynn needed so they could finish their mornings before work.

* * *

"Hey Gina," Grace smiled as she entered the office. 

Gina smiled and yawned tiredly, holding out some messages for Grace.

"Rough night?" Grace almost laughed at Gina's zombie-like state.

Gina nodded. "I had a huge fight with Henry last night," She sighed.

"Ooh…" Grace nodded. "I know how that goes," She cringed in sympathy.

Gina sighed and looked up at Grace. "At least Collier's in worse shape than me," She grinned. "Make sure to talk nice and loud, he's nursing well hell of a hang over," She said as Grace headed for the office door. Grace nodded.

She opened the door and walked in, shutting it loudly behind her.

"Huh? What? No, it wasn't me, it was the antelope!" Collier said, looking around alarmed.

Grace raised an eyebrow, dropping her briefcase onto her desk in the opposite corner across from Collier's.

"Oh…it's you, Grace…" Collier said, dropping his head into his hands and rubbing his temple.

"Yes…it's me," She spoke softly. She grabbed an empty glass from one of their shared desks. She pulled out a foil package from the pocket of her briefcase, shook it and then ripped it open, tipping it into the glass. After she filled the glass with water and swished it around to mix it, she sat the glass on the desk in front of Collier. He cast his eyes up to hers curiously. "Drink it," She ordered.

Collier's face flashed a guilty look as he reached out and started drinking the cloudy yellow liquid. He grimaced. "What is this?" He groaned.

Grace leaned back against the front of her desk and crossed her arms defensively. "You're an angel aren't you? Don't you know more then you're letting on?" She questioned.

Collier glanced at her before grimacing and forcing down some more of the liquid. "I'm not God, Grace," He commented.

Grace gave a sideways nod of her head with a quirked half smirk, seeming to accept this fact. She walked around her desk and sat in her chair and began flipping through her messages. "I use to give it to my mom when she had a hang over," Grace cleared her throat.

Collier watched her. She didn't look up to see his reaction. Collier had already known the answer to his question, but for Grace to have actually given him the true answer was shocking to him. Collier seemed to squirm.

"Grace…" He began to speak.

Grace looked at him. She smirked. "Just tell me you didn't do this over a woman," She chided him.

Collier was about to respond when Gina buzzed in. "Hey Chief, there's a woman out here by the name of Dominique Diordus," She said.

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Oh, dude, please. A woman?" She rolled her eyes.

Before Collier could respond to either, the door flew open. Collier leapt to his feet, groaning in pain. Grace looked up, startled. The woman looked as horrible as Collier did. Grace just looked back and forth between them as the woman began to speak.

"Now you listen to me, I don't know how you knew that information last night, but you can't just lay that on me and then let your little friend cart you away," Dominique said.

Collier held a hand at his temple. "Dominique…" He said weakly.

"Wow, you must've done quite a number on this one, Collier," Grace spoke up.

Startled, Dominique spun around to see who was talking. Grace saw the look on her face and was taken a back. "I'm going to go ahead and let you two work this out alone," Grace stood and took a few pieces of paper.

"Who are you?" Dominique demanded, unsure of herself.

"Uh," Collier walked around the desk. "Why don't you stay?" He looked at Dominique. "We can go for a walk and sort this out?" He asked.

"I'm Grace Girardi," Grace held her hand out to Dominique, intrigued. She always felt weird saying this name out loud. Luke had been surprised when she was willing to change her name. She'd told him that she felt more like a part of the Girardi family then part of her own so it was only fitting.

Collier sighed. Dominique stared at Grace, wide-eyed. How had she not recognized this woman? Ryan had been staring at her for months in pictures and videos. Grace looked different in real life. Collier watched nervously for their reactions to each other.

"O-Oh…" Dominique said.

"Right, well, let's go talk," Collier led Dominique off.

Grace watched them curiously. She shrugged after a few minutes and headed back behind her desk to get down to work.

* * *

"Hi uncle Luke!" Gabe cheered after answering the door. 

Luke picked his nephew up and rested Gabe at his hip as he walked in the apartment, shutting the door behind him. "Are you supposed to answer the door alone, pal?" He asked Gabe.

Gabe's head hunched back some as his shoulder hitched. He shook his head no guiltily.

Luke smiled. "Next time wait for mommy or daddy before you answer, okay?" He asked as he reached the living room and set Gabe down. Gabe nodded.

"Hey," Adam said from the floor. He was sitting with Brynn in his arms as Mac and Lara scribbled madly on a huge white sheet of paper. Gabe was nearby them working on what he thought was a masterpiece.

"Hey," Luke sat down across from Adam.

Lara looked up and noticed him there. She crawled over to him and pulled herself into his lap before leaning back down to color again. Luke kissed the back of her head.

"Jane said you finished your formula," Adam spoke up.

Luke smiled. "Made a trip to the patent office this morning."

"What happens next?" Adam asked.

"I have a presentation for the formula tomorrow morning with the boss. After that, there's an afternoon presentation with the press. And then we wait for everyone to start contacting us," Luke stated.

"Does your dad know you finished it?" Adam asked, sitting Brynn down in her car seat.

"Yeah. I called him on my way into work. He's going to take off and head up to catch the press presentation tomorrow," Luke smiled.

"Awesome," Adam grinned.

"Uncle Luke?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah?" Luke replied, turning his attention to Gabe.

"Mommy says you're going to help puts lotsa bad guys in jail," Gabe said.

"Well, I'm hoping that's true," Luke replied.

Gabe looked like he was thinking about this for a few minutes. "I hope you put the man that watches us at the park away first," He said.

Adam and Luke exchanged concerned looks at this.

"What man?" Adam asked.

"The man at the park, daddy," Gabe said, not looking up from his drawing.

"What does he look like?" Luke asked.

Gabe shrugged, "He's real tall."

"Does he have hair like me or uncle Luke?" Adam asked.

"It's like daddy's, only real close to his head," Gabe answered.

Luke and Adam looked at each other gravely.

"Is he there every time mommy takes you to the park?" Luke asked.

Gabe shrugged. "I think so."

"I'll put a call in and have some protective details patrol the area for a couple of days with Ryan's picture and description and the instructions to look for anyone suspicious," Luke said five minutes later when he was preparing the girls for the walk home. He put them both into the double stroller, hooking Brynn in to the back section and Lara into the front section with her legs hanging out.

Adam nodded. "I'll let Jane know what's going on," He said.

Luke nodded. "I'm sure Grace will call later."

Adam nodded. They shook hands and Luke left, heading for home. The whole way Luke found himself looking all around for any signs of Ryan or anyone else who looked like they could be following or spying on them.

* * *

It wasn't until Luke got home, still feeling paranoid, that he found the worst of the possibilities of how Ryan was spying on them. He was in his and Grace's room with Lara, changing into something more comfortable when he noticed a red light near the cluttered bureau across from the end of their bed. He squinted at it and moved closer. He reached out and snatched the little box from the bureau, recognizing it immediately as a camera. Quickly, he let it fall to the bed. He routed through his work things and came out with a pair of tongs and his bottle of orange liquid. He made quick work of spraying it and finding his red flashlight before reaching for the phone to call in some Agents in the possible pursuit of Ryan Hunter.

* * *

Grace didn't asked Collier any questions. In fact she immersed herself in work all day so that she wouldn't have to hear Collier's female troubles. She left with Gina at 5, but Collier had stayed. He had tried to tell her something all day but somehow they kept getting interrupted. 

Gina and Grace departed company after only 5 blocks. Gina went into the subway and Grace kept walking towards home. Her mind wondered from clients, to her family, to memories, and everywhere in between as she walked home. When she reached her block, she felt herself smile, knowing she was almost home felt comforting. She was mere minutes from being able to wrap herself in the comfort of her family.

As she approached the ally just before the Chinese take out place she and Luke frequented, her guard was already down. Before she could even react she felt herself being pulled. When her brain finally caught up to what was going on, she was pressed up again the ally wall. Her face was sideways against the brick wall. She could feel it scratching the skin of her cheek. She tried to pull back or swing but found she was securely pinned against the wall.

"Relax sis…" Ryan's gruff voice floated it from right next to her ear. Grace felt his lips near her ear. Her spine shook. "I'm no going to hurt you…not today at least," Grace could hear him smiling as he snickered at her.

She remained silent at first, trying to keep calm and think of a way to break free from is grasp. She felt Ryan's arm move and soon his hand was traveling along her stomach under her shirt. Grace felt like she was going to vomit.

"What do you want you sick son of a-,"

"Now, now, don't insult our mother…" Ryan breathed, close to her ear again.

"You've got three seconds to let me go or you're going to regret it when I get free you sick freak," Grace warned, surprised at her own fierce confidence in this statement.

Ryan laughed. He moved his face near her shoulder and dragged his nose up along her neck, inhaling deeply.

"Such feigned confidence…I can smell the fear coming off of you though…" He said, still groping around on her.

Grace squirmed under his touch, clenching her jaw tightly. "I'm not afraid of you." He declared.

"This isn't about fear anymore," Ryan emitted a guttural growl as he spoke.

"Apparently it's about incest for you," Grace struggled to break free again. Ryan simply inhaled deeply again.

"You tell that husband of yours I'll be sure to make a visit to my neices real soon…" His voice rumbled in his throat.

Grace gritted her teeth fiercely. With renewed resolve, she used all of her strength to throw herself back from the wall. The pair vaulted backwards across the small ally. Ryan hit the wall and slid down. Grace kept herself on her feet. She swung her briefcase and collided it with the side of Ryan's head. He fell backwards, grabbing his face. Grace took the opportunity to run. She made it easily to the lobby.

"Grace?" Cappy asked when he saw her disheveled look.

"Ally…in the ally," Grace huffed, unable to say anything else. Cappy didn't need her to say anything else. He darted out from behind his desk and out of the building, pulling his weapon out as he went.

A few minutes later he returned, with his gun holstered. "Whoever was in the ally is gone now," He put a hand on Grace's shoulder. "I'll call in the boys and send a call up to your husband…" He told her.

Grace shook her head. "I'll be fine…Just…I'll go upstairs…" She said.

"I'll send them up when the get here," Cappy told her. Grace nodded before turning and heading for the elevator.

* * *

"Whoa, rough day Mrs. Girardi?" A man Grace recognized as Agent Peters asked when Grace entered the apartment. 

Grace looked at him blankly, trying to figure out why he was there.

"Grace? Oh God, are you okay?"

Grace blinked at Luke's partner as the woman took Grace by the shoulders, inspecting the side of her face and her appearance.

"Grace?" Zoë asked again. She turned her head. "Luke, you'd better come out here!" Zoë called.

Luke came bustling up the hallway after hearing Zoë's call. He saw Grace and was immediately alarmed. He wasted no time in crossing to her, taking one of her shoulders in his hand and the unscathed side of her face in his other hand.

"Grace? What happened?" He seemed almost afraid to ask.

Grace looked up at him blankly. "Hunter," She said.

**

* * *

July 9th, 2015**

Things calmed down by Wednesday morning. There was a protective detail positioned outside of Luke and Grace's building. Luke's colleagues had traced the video feed to an apartment building a few block away. By the time the police had stormed in, however, the apartment looked abandoned except for some TV monitors. They had managed to lift 5 sets of fingerprints in the apartment. One, of course, belonged to Ryan. The others were not in the system, so they were unidentifiable for now.

Luke had offered to take off from work on Wednesday, but Grace refused. She told him she would be fine and that she would be very angry if he skipped his presentation and press conference. To set his mind at ease though, she'd called and managed to get Joan to come stay with her after her last session of the day at 1 until Luke got home.

Today though, Grace had called in and let Gina know that she wasn't going to be coming in to work. She would just work from home. In truth Grace hadn't been able to work all day. Instead she spent the day with the girls, trying to figure out what the next course of action was.

It wasn't until 3pm that she remembered Anneliese was coming over for dinner and that was only because Anneliese had shown up. Cappy had called to see if Grace knew who Anneliese was and if Anneliese was really coming to visit. Grace had assured Cappy that it was okay to let Anneliese head on up.

Grace opened the door with Brynn in her arms at her shoulder. "Hey," She offered a smile to Anneliese as she stepped aside to let the little girl in. "Did you come all this way by yourself?" She asked with a concerned look. Liese was entirely too young in her opinion to be crossing New York City on her own.

Liese nodded. "Mrs. Hasting gave me money for a cab though, she didn't want me taking the subway," She told Grace.

Grace shut the door and locked it. She decided to change the subject. "Well, this is Brynn. Lara's playing with the dog in the living room. Honestly, it's been a rough couple of days, it slipped my mind you were coming today-,"

"I-I can head back if you don't want me here-," Liese cut Grace off.

"No, no, not at all," Grace cut Liese back off, shaking her head. She led her niece into the kitchen. One-handed, Grace opened the fridge door and began pulling different items out and putting them on the counter behind her. "Do you like chicken?" Grace asked.

Liese nodded nervously as she fidgeted with her hands. "Is there something I can help w-with?" She asked.

Grace was going to tell Liese not to worry about it, but as she turned around she saw the look on the girl's face and changed her mind. "Let me sit her down and we'll get started," Grace turned and went into the dining room. She picked up a portable swing and placed it on the far end of the table closest to the kitchen. Grace smiled and talked to Brynn as she hooked the baby into the swing so that she wouldn't start crying. As soon as she turned the button on the swing and it started swaying, Brynn seemed to calm down considerably. Grace hit another button and the tune from a slow lullaby began to play.

"Okay, let's get the food going," Grace turned back into the kitchen. She dug around in a cabinet and produced to worn cutting boards. She washed some tomatoes, cucumbers and green and red peppers. "Think you can handle dicing some of these?" Grace questioned.

Anneliese nodded, accepting a knife.

"Just be careful not to cut your fingers," Grace smiled as she began to prepare the chicken to go in the oven.

* * *

"Oh, hello, I didn't know anyone else was here…" Joan stopped when she saw who was sitting in the waiting room of her office. Her brain started to fuzz, her mouth went dry and her heart started to pound. He never brought good news. "What are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly. 

He stared at her with sad eyes. It was clear that he didn't want to be the bearer of this news. He wanted to do more than he was allowed. "You have to leave," He told her.

Joan looked at him, confused. "Leave where? The office? The city? The planet?" She asked.

"Go to Grace and Luke's," Collier stood. "Go now," He said a little more forcefully as Joan stood rooted to the spot, staring at him. He balled his fists at his sides, willing himself to stay put and not drag Joan to Grace's where he could protect her. No. He wasn't allowed to protect her; that's interfering. Collier's eyes filled as he gritted his teeth tightly.

"GO! NOW!" He screamed at her. Joan shook from her trance. She disappeared into her office to grab her bag and then returned to the waiting room. Collier was gone by the time she'd gotten there. Hurriedly, Joan locked the office. She ran for the elevators and hit the button. After ten seconds of tapping her foot nervously while waiting for the elevator, Jon let out a frustrated grunt. She turned and barreled through the stairwell exit and proceeded to run down the flights, taking the steps two at a time. She was glad she'd kept up with her kickboxing, because she was barely out of breath when she reached the street. She managed to flag a cab down and she dove in it, instructing the driver to blow any and all red lights if he knew what was good for him.

* * *

About a half an hour into their preparations, Anneliese was sitting at the kitchen table, coloring with Lara, who was in a little booster seat. Grace glanced at them, as she was getting ready to start cooking everything. 

The phone rang and Grace wiped her hands and picked it up. She expected to hear Luke, but instead, Cappy's voice greeted her.

"I have an Evan down here. He says he's here to visit you in regards to work?" Cappy asked.

Grace wracked her brain. She had postponed all of her meetings until Monday. Even so, those meetings were scheduled at her office not her home. "I don't know anyone named Evan, Cappy," Grace replied.

"Okay. I'll take care of it-," Cappy cut off with a strangled sound.

"Cap? Cappy? Hey, Cappy are you there?" Grace asked into the phone. She heard a click and the phone disconnected. Grace let the receiver drop. She went to the dinning room table and picked Brynn up in one arm and then scooped Lara into her other arm. "Come with me," She said. She went towards the door, but stopped, hearing noise coming up the hallway. She turned around and ushered Liese up the hallway and into the bathroom. She sat Liese in the tub with Brynn in her arms and Lara close by.

"What's going on?" Anneliese was shaking.

Grace grabbed her by her face to make eye contact with her. "Keep them in here. When I leave this room, lock it; slide anything loose in front of it. Don't open it, even if I tell you to. Understand?" She asked. Anneliese stared at Grace. "Do you understand me?" Grace said a little more forcefully. Anneliese nodded. "Swear it."

Anneliese was close to crying now. "I-I swear," She promised. Grace nodded, giving one last look to Lara and Brynn. She pulled the door shut tightly behind her and heard Anneliese moving things in front of the door after the lock clicked.

Slowly, Grace made her way back out into the apartment. She managed to slink into the kitchen, where she noticed that the front door was still closed, but the lock was hanging down. She looked at the counter and noticed the knife she'd been using was gone. Swallowing hard Grace looked around, trying to figure out who had entered and where they were.

"I know you're in here…you might as well stop hiding like a coward…" Grace knew it wasn't a smart idea to insult someone who had broken into your apartment, but she figured she might have a better chance if she could be face to face with the intruder. Deep down she knew who it was, but thinking of the safety of her daughters was causing her to ignore that fact as her heart pounded wildly.

Before she could say anything else she felt herself being grabbed from behind. She almost yelled out, but stopped herself. She knew exactly who it was from hisragged breath. His body was pressed tightly against her back. His right arm came up around her head as his hand held her by her forehead, tilting her head back against his shoulder so he could hold the knife she'd been using for dinner against the flesh of Grace's neck with his other hand. His left arm clamped so tightly against her shoulder that she couldn't move her left arm. Her right arm grabbed at Ryan's left forearm. She felt the scratching burn of the knife's edge nicking against her neck as she tried to keep her breathing calm and she swallowed.

"You thought I was bluffing didn't you?" He laughed derisively against her ear.

Grace forced a breath in, trying to figure out what he next step to get out of this position would be. Ryan grew angry at her silence. He used his right hand to grip a handful of her hair and he pushed her forward causing Grace to gasp as she hit nose first into the refrigerator door. Just as swiftly, Ryan pulled her back to him tightly, placing the knife back at her neck as Grace coughed and choked now that blood was trickling from her nose down over her lips and down her chin. She could taste the salty fluid as it rolled down her throat as well.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we?" Ryan asked. He started to drag Grace forward with him, towards the hallway and the bathroom. Grace tore her arms free and reached them out in an attempt to brace a hand on each wall and stop their movement towards the girls. "You don't want to introduce me to my sweet little nieces?" Ryan asked, feigning sadness and hurt at this sentiment.

"They're not part of this…" Grace said through gnashed teeth as Ryan pushed on slower despite Grace's attempts and protests.

"They became a part of this the moment they were conceived, Gracie," Ryan spat back at her, laughing as he roughly nuzzled his face next to hers. Grace fought the bile of throw up rising in her throat.

"No," Grace said.

When they reached the bathroom door, Ryan slammed Grace into it. Grace felt her head wobble as Ryan kept his fist tightly holding a clump of her hair. She felt a hot trickling feeling by her hairline at the left side of her head. She braced her arms out again on either side of the doorframe.

"Who's in there with them? Hm?" Ryan asked. Grace let out a gurgled strangle. Ryan slammed her head forward again. Inside the bathroom, Grace could hear Lara and Brynn crying. She felt her blood pulsing through her. She had to figure out a way out of this and fast. Grace was pretty sure she could hear Anneliese crying too. "Do you hear me in there?" Ryan kicked the door to knock on it a few times. "Who's in there?" He screamed out. He growled low in Grace's ear again. "Is it that precious friend of yours? Joan? Can I get two birds with one stone here sis?" He asked.

Grace's head felt heavy. There was blood seeping down the side of her face; some of it blurred her vision in her left eye. Her nose was still bleeding. She could feel it soaking the collar of her shirt. She used all of her muscles to stabilize Ryan behind her and brace herself at the door. In her mind, God wouldn't get past her into this bathroom.

"Who is it?" Ryan tightened the knife against Grace's neck.

"You're daughter…" Grace forced out through a strangle and a clenched jaw. Ryan paused behind Grace, as if he were shocked. Grace tried to wiggle free but that only succeeded in snapping Ryan out of his slight trance.

"You're lying…" His gruff voice finally spoke.

Grace almost sneered. "What reason…do I have to lie to you," She spat out.

Ryan threw her head towards the door again. Grace felt her head wobbling and her arms shake. No. She willed herself not to lose consciousness by telling herself that if she did, that was it, she would fail to protect her daughters. If there was one thing in her life Grace would not do; she would _not_ fail her children.

"Tell her to open the door and I'll let you live," Ryan bargained.

Grace scoffed. "Bite me," She spat back. She felt herself cringe as Ryan ran is tongue along the line of blood trailing down the side of Grace's face. He smacked his lips together.

"You really want me to?" He asked. Grace cringed. Ryan kicked the door again. "Open the door and your aunt lives!" He called out.

"Don't open the door Liese!" Grace choked out.

"If you don't open the door, I'm going to kill her!" Ryan yelled.

"NO!" Anneliese called out from the other side of the door. They heard shuffling behind the door. Grace felt her eyes widen.

"Liese listen to me!" Grace called as Ryan tightened the knife against her neck. She knew he'd at least torn the skin near the blade because she could feel the wet warmness around the area. "If you open the door, he's going to kill you and the girls, do you hear me? Don't open the door! Just hold on! Don't open that door!" Grace spoke fast, terrified.

"Open the door or I'm taking your aunt out and then coming after you!" Ryan shouted back. He pulled the knife away from Grace's neck. She felt his arm reel back and moved to dodge as he swung towards her left side. She let out a yelp as it grazed her side. Her knees buckled slightly but she braced herself harder.

The color drained from her face when she heard the click of the lock. She cast her eyes down when Ryan didn't notice it, and saw the handle slowly inch. Letting go of the doorframe, Grace threw her hand down and covered the door handle so that Anneliese couldn't turn it.

"Let it go," Ryan ordered.

"Anneliese lock the door!" Grace yelled. "God damnit lock the door!" She screamed. Ryan grabbed the handle of the knife, which was sticking in the door and tugged at it. "If you don't lock that door I swear I will kill you myself! Lock the door!" Grace screamed desperately. She fought to stop Ryan from pulling her away from the door now; desperately clinging to keep it shut. She felt Ryan's hands, one around the front of her neck and one around the back. They clamped down. Grace choked, trying to inhale air. Her mind reeled as she clung to the door handle.

"Remember this scenario…" His voice rumbled into her ear. "Hmmm? Sure there's no water this time…but there's also no one to save you either," He let out a low, evil laugh. "No CPR this time. And you know what the best part is?" He smiled wickedly at her. "You're a worse failure than your own mother…at least she killed herself and not her kids…" He sneered.

Grace felt her face harden as a tear slipped from her eye. She clenched her jaw, feeling the lightheadedness sinking in. With one last attempt with the fear for her daughters' lives and the anger at Ryan's words surging through her, she braced her feet and threw her head backwards. The back of her head landed squarely against Ryan's face, knocking him backwards off of her. He hit the opposite wall of the hallway and slid down, holding his face. Grace collapsed to the floor. She heaved deep breaths before throwing herself at Ryan. She couldn't let him get up and to the door. Ryan reacted after two punches. He tossed Grace off of him and pinned her under him. She felt his face near her neck, inhaling and smelling her again as she struggled fiercely against him.

"So this is how you like it," He grinned. Grace squirmed, trying to break free. "Oh, not this time, Gracie…I've got you now…" He licked at his lips, pinning her arms easily with one hand.

"You sick freak," Grace said, astounded, as he reached for the buckle of her jeans. She writhed under him; using all the force she could muster to break free. She managed one hand free and she swung a closed fist at his jaw. Ryan's head lurched with the force of the hit. He turned his face back to her and licked at the little trickle of blood appearing at his lip with a smile before pinning her down again.

"Oh this is gonna be good…" He snickered.

"Hey! What incest is the in thing with Satan now?"

Ryan's head shot up and just as he focused and realized the voice belonged to Joan, she swung a pot she'd grabbed off the stove and clubbed him upside his head with it. Ryan flew off of Grace and into the wall. Grace looked at Joan wearily as she tried to pull herself to her feet. Joan helped her. Grace, Joan could see, was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"Can you stand?" Joan asked. Grace steadied herself and nodded. "Luke and the cavalry are on their way. Let's get out of here," Joan suggested.

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked, confused and disoriented.

Ryan stirred. Joan looked at him stonily. "Save the explanations for later," She held her fists up and prepared herself to fight Ryan. "Get the girls and get out of here," She instructed Grace.

Ryan had fallen past the bathroom door. Joan stood, blocking the hallway. Grace opened the bathroom door and went in behind Joan. Anneliese cowered in the bathtub with both girls in her arms. All three of them were crying.

"We have to go…" Grace said. Anneliese looked at her, terrified. As Grace reached out. "It's all right…come on…hurry," She said. She took Brynn in her arms, holding the baby tightly to her. Anneliese followed Grace out of the hallway. Grace felt renewed energy as she saw Ryan climbing to his feet. Grace handed Brynn back to Anneliese. "Take them down the stairwell…wait until you see Luke to bring them out." She ordered.

"But," Anneliese began to protest.

"Just…" Grace cut her off. "Go on," She said.

"Go with her Grace. I've got this under control," Joan said, staring Ryan down now.

"This is getting interesting," Ryan sneered.

"Rove-," Grace began to protest.

"Go!" Joan ordered. Grace had never seen Joan this angry. She nodded and turned to go with the girls. Joan looked at Ryan. "This ends…right here…right now," She told him.

Ryan laughed. "You've got that right, little girl…" He laughed at her as she stood in a ready stance to fight.

Ryan surged forward to swing at Joan. Joan easily dodged his punch and landed an elbow in his face. Ryan shook his head and went after her again. He managed to tackle her to the ground. He clamped his hands around her neck.

"Where's your God now?" He sneered at her.

Joan smiled, as if she knew something he didn't. Using her legs she rolled and easily tossed Ryan, who was taller than her and twice her size in muscle mass, off of her and across the room. Joan leapt easily to her feet.

"Don't you get it yet? God's been with me all along," She smirked, readying herself again. She herd barking and glanced to the dinning room. Damage had been struggling against his leash, stuck under the table and pissed that he couldn't get free and attack Ryan.

Ryan climbed to his feet, clearly tired as he stared her down. He lunged towards her. Joan kneed him in the gut and groin area. Ryan keeled in pain after having the wind knocked out of him. He moved to grab her but she clamped her fists together and hit him as hard as she could at the back of his head by the base of his neck.

Ryan collapsed to the floor unconscious. Joan heard the sirens outside and decided it was time to leave, since Ryan's was unconscious. The police would be up soon enough to collect him. She had sinking feeling in her stomach and had to get out of the apartment. She unhooked Damage and made her way to the elevator.

* * *

When she reached the lobby, some uniformed officers greeted her. 

"He's out cold on the living room floor," She told them. They piled in the elevator and went up to the floor.

Joan crossed the lobby and outside to the ambulance in the middle of the street. Grace was seated on its bumper, staring blankly off. Inside the Ambulance, a paramedic was checking over Anneliese, Lara and Brynn to assure they were unscathed. Cappy was being loaded into an ambulance in front of the on Grace was sitting at as a paramedic cleaned the side of her head off. Grace closed her eyes and flinched but didn't move to pull away.

Grace opened her eyes and looked at her hands in her lap when she felt someone touch them. Her eyes met Joan's; no words were exchanged at first. Grace felt her eyes fill as she saw Joan's filling.

"How did you…?" Grace trailed off, clearly still reeling from shock.

"Collier," Joan replied with a nod. Grace nodded, understanding. "Are you all right?" Joan asked.

Grace took a deep breath. She didn't need to answer the question. Not caring what the paramedic was doing, Joan reached out and hugged Grace. Joan had actually expected Grace to push her away. The opposite happened. Grace's arms slowly laced around Joan and she hugged Joan back harder then both of them knew Grace had ever held anyone other than Luke, Lara, or Brynn.

"Get off me, my family's in there, move!" Luke tried to push past the police. Grace and Joan looked up.

"You can't go in, sir," One of the officers said.

Luke whipped out his FBI ID and flashed it at the officer. "If you want to keep your job and your life, you'll get out of my way," He said stiffly. The officers parted and held the yellow tape up for him. Luke looked around frantically, running a hand through is hair at the sight in front of him. The block was taped off and multiple police cars were all around. Officers were conducting interviews. He spotted the ambulance and ran for it.

"Grace?" He called out loudly, trying to see around people to find her. "Grace?" He screamed.

"Luke, over here!" Joan said when she realized Grace couldn't speak. Grace was staring, relieved, at Luke as he turned upon hearing Joan's voice. Luke paused a moment when he spotted Joan and Grace. He ran so fast that Grace barely had time to stand before he had pulled her to him. Grace ignored the pain in her side and her head as she wrapped her arms tightly around Luke's neck, anchoring him to her.

"What happened? Are you okay? Where are the girls?" He asked, pulling only his head back and pushing her hair carefully out of the way to inspect her injuries. He looked terrified. He was pale and it was obvious he'd been crying already.

Grace nodded. "We're fine…we're all right," She managed to get out. Luke pulled her in, kissed her and then held her closely against him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should've been home. I'm sorry," He said into her hair. Grace felt his shoulders shaking. She was startled. She had never seen him this distraught. The closest she'd seen him in this state was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital in Ocean City years ago. She heard a sob escape him and she tangled her hand in the hair at the back of his head, holding him close to her.

"It's not your fault…we're okay. Hey…shhh, it's all right" She tried to calm him down. "We're okay…" She assured.

Joan felt her eyes burning over at the scene before her. She'd seen many sides of Grace, including the maternal and loving side. This side of Grace was shocking, but welcome. She was playing the role of comforter after experiencing a horrific event. She clung onto Luke who was crying into her hair and neck, just thankful that she was okay despite what he was viewing as his failure to protect her.

"This is not your fault," Grace told him fiercely. She turned her head and kissed the side of his head in his hair, still running her hand through the back of his hair.

"Daddy!"

Grace and Luke turned and looked into the ambulance. Lara sat on the end of a stretcher in Anneliese's lap. She reached out for Luke, happy to see him. She had calmed down considerably and it was obvious she didn't know what was going on. Luke looked at Grace. Grace nodded and released him. The paramedic sat her down again. Grace had butterfly bandages on the left side of her forehead by her hairline. Her nose was bruised by not broken. She had cleaned the blood off of it. Her collar and the top of her shirt were still covered in blood. Her neck had little nicks and scratches from the blade of the knife. The paramedic inspected Grace's left side, where she had barely dodged the knife. Luke lifted Lara into his arms, showering her in kisses as he held her to him.

Joan was standing nearby with Brynn in her arms. Brynn had actually fallen asleep on Joan's shoulder. The paramedic determined that Grace would need stitches in her side. Grace sighed. She did not want to go to the hospital. She didn't know what she wanted at this point other than to maim Ryan Hunter and to calm Luke down; but she knew she didn't want to be in a hospital. Reluctantly, the paramedic agreed to take care of it without taking her to the hospital.

After they had completed the stitches, the paramedic put a clear square tape-like covering over the spot so that no water would disrupt the area for the few weeks that the stitches would be in place. The stitches were at the back of Grace's left side. There were only 5 of the in the small spot. As Luke was helping her back out of the ambulance, Luke's partner, Zoë was yelling at a detective. She shook her head and gave them one last reprimand before walking over to the ambulance.

"What's going on?" Luke asked. Zoë looked at him and then Grace and Joan.

"We have a problem…" Zoë said.

"What is it?" Joan asked.

"He's gone," Zoë said gravely.

"What?" Grace asked.

"How could he be gone? He was out cold!" Joan cried.

"Nobody saw him leave. They found blood on the fire escape," Zoë cleared her throat. Luke looked at his sister and his wife; each of them was holding one of his daughters. He put his head down, clearly putting the blame for all of this on himself. Grace reached a free hand out when she noticed this and slid her hand inside his.

"It's going to be okay…" She told him firmly. Luke looked at her, unsure how to respond.

"Let us through! We have information!"

Grace, Luke and Joan looked up to see Collier standing with a woman next to him, arguing with the cops who wouldn't let Luke it. Grace recognized the woman as Dominique, the woman who had burst into their office, yelling at Collier.

"Go help let them in," She said to Luke, nodding in Collier and Dominique's direction. Luke did as instructed. Collier and Dominique followed him over to where Grace, Joan and Zoë were.

"Grace, you remember Dominique?" Collier asked. Grace nodded. Collier looked at the others. He turned his attention to Dominique, putting a comforting arm about her shoulders. "Go ahead, tell them," He encouraged her.

Dominique swallowed, lifting her head to look around at all of them. Her eyes landed on Grace's icy eyes as Grace held Lara protectively in her lap.

"I-I…" Dominique took a deep breath and looked at Luke and Zoë as Zoë prepared to write down whatever information that Dominique was about to give. "I know where he'll go…" She spoke up, shocking all of them.

**

* * *

A/N: Okay, if this chapter didn't rock your world then there's no hope for you people! Then again you might've thought it sucked. I guess I'll have to wait on pins and needles and see…**

**P.S. – This would have been up sooner but with the hurricane in N.O., I have some friends who's families are down there so I got sidetracked by watching the coverage of the storm…sorry but look how long this chapter was? Doesn't that balance it out?**

**Chapter title from "I Alone" by Live. **

**Responses: Carol – **Sorry, I meant to update sooner, I swear! I actually was worried about how people would react to the Judith part, so I'm glad you liked it! Do you really want me to tell you if Friedman will make an appearance? "I just know that you'll kill someone" Do you want a response to that? Lol. Lots of people like Dom's character. I was surprised! Do you like her more or less after this chapter? Thanks for the kudos! Much love!

**Butterfly Dancing – **No need to apologize! I have missed your reviews though! Thanks for the kudos. Ha, you didn't like Luke with the gun thing, huh? Ooooh…who are you nervous for? Want to make a prediction? Thanks again, much love!

**Sayxanything – **Damage, I felt, was an appropriate name for an abandoned puppy! Lol, I wish I'd thought of that "Every freakin' time…!" Yeah the cameras freaked me out and I was typing it!

**Audrey – **Let me start off with UPDATE! YOU LEFT ME HANGING! Ahem…thanks for the kudos (cough, update, cough) much love!

**Hezziebob182 – **Hey! Thanks for the kudos! Much love, dude!

**Coveredinrain16 – **Hollaback! Lol sorry, back on track. Thanks for the Grace/Caleb kudos! I'd been planning that for a while. Ditto with the Judith scene. I was worried people wouldn't like it though. December babies rock! Ah school…boo to school. What grade are ya in? Lol, they don't have billions! Ha! Much love back!

**Kool-Wolf – **Shut up? Well…that would mean I have to stop typing chapters…! The rabbi's actual name is Stephen…it's sad that I know that. At least I'm pretty sure it is. Anyway…was Ryan's pounce what you expected? I AM happy you don't kill me now…does that mean if I finish this and make another story I get a stay of execution? Thanks for the props, violence to you!

**Tiffany – **Thanks for the kudos, dude! Glad it wasn't too choppy for ya! Judith is cool. I miss her character. I was afraid people wouldn't like it. You did update…you need to update again, yo! Don't leave me hanging! (Like I have room to talk…) IM me, yo. Much love!

**Sam – **Nah you don't suck! Thanks for the kudos though! I know this chapter was pretty long but I'm hoping it was as good as I thought it was when I was typing it. Usually I'm paranoid and everyone turns around and says it's great. So now I'm like "this is great!" I bet everyone's gonna hate it, ha! Anyhow, much love dude!

**Jane and Adam – **Was that an adequate feed for your addiction? Ryan got pretty evil during this chapter. Well…Joan may yet have to keep her promise…who knows? Much love!

**Thanks for reading! Thanks for reviewing! I leave the shaping of this story partly in your hands, as I need you to tell me what sucks and what rocks! Much love! **


	5. My Brain Is Gonna Overload

**Story: Keep the Faith**

**Rating:** T-M

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.

**A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)**

**

* * *

Chapter 5 – My Brain Is Gonna Overload**

**July 25th, 2015**

Grace and Luke stayed with Joan and Adam for two weeks until July 23rd. The lease on their apartment would run out in the middle of August and the police had already taken all the evidence they needed. Ryan Hunter was leading the FBI on a headhunt. He was making sure to live easy 'mistake' paper trails as he played head games with them across the country. He made sure to show his face enough in public to be captured on cameras and broadcast on the news.

On the 24th, Luke and Grace had spent the entire day packing what possessions they needed or wanted. Mostly all of the girls' stuff was packed and about half of their own stuff was packed. The furniture was being left behind to condense on space. After they packed everything they piled the boxes and went back to Joan and Adam's place for one last dinner together in NYC.

Now, today was the 25th. It was a hot Saturday. Luke had the car parked in the ally next to the Chinese place. Cappy was watching the kids in the lobby while Grace, Luke, Adam and Joan took turns hand trucking boxes down. Luke had rented a U-haul hitch since he didn't think they had enough to warrant a rental truck.

After they'd packed they said a long goodbye in the lobby. They had already gone out to breakfast together.

"Call us when you get to Arcadia," Joan sniffled after she and Grace had exchanged a hug; something that was coming more freely from Grace, Joan noted. Luke offered her a tight-lipped smile. He pulled her into a tight hug.

"I have a 24-hour detail on your place with the warning that if anything happens to you guys, I will personally rip out their entrails and feed them to them as their last meal," He told Joan.

"Ew…" Joan shuddered. "But thanks dog boy," She hugged him back.

"Who knows, maybe we'll see you soon anyway," Adam smiled.

Grace looked down when she felt something at her leg and saw Gabe staring up at her with big round eyes. She crouched down to his level. "What's up kid?" She asked him.

"Are you coming back?" He asked with a wounded puppy expression that rivaled Adam's.

Grace felt her chest stricken just looking at the crushed look on his face. "Well, we're not going to live here anymore, Gabe. Uncle Luke and me are going to live where Nona and Popi live," Grace said using the words Gabe and the kids knew for Joan and Luke's parents. Gabe stared at her for a moment before his tears spilled over. He was silent for a moment but then he sucked in a few breaths and sniffled as he cried.

Grace frowned, "Come here, you," She pulled Gabe in for a long hug and kissed the top of his head. "I promise you'll see us real soon, okay?" She asked.

Adam wrapped an arm around Joan's shoulder. Joan put her head on Adam's shoulder, close to tears again herself. Hadn't she promised herself not to let them all part ways? Was this technically parting ways? They'd managed to be on opposite sides of the country before; they could easily survive a few states apart couldn't they?

"Come on, pal, Uncle Luke and Gigi have to go," Adam said, reaching out to take Gabe's hand.

"Bye-bye!" Mac giggled from her stroller as Grace stood up.

She quickly masked her welled up eyes with some sunglasses and took Lara from Cappy. "See you later Mac," Grace leaned towards the stroller and gave Mac a goodbye kiss on the cheek after Luke did. Grace held Lara to the stroller. "Say bye-byes to Mac," She instructed. Lara reached out and hugged Mac, causing Joan's tears to spill over. "Okay…too much water works," She looked at Luke, who had Brynn in his arms. "Ready?" She asked.

Luke nodded. Joan and Adam followed Luke and Grace out. They exchanged one last goodbye after Luke and Grace had hooked Lara and Brynn into their car seats. Finally Joan, Adam, Gabe and Mac were left to wave goodbye as they backed out of the ally and drove off.

* * *

By 3pm they had completed the four-hour drive to Arcadia. Luke pulled into their driveway and cut the engine. Last weekend they had driven down here and left the kids for the day with Helen and Will, expecting to go house hunting with the intention of moving out f NYC and back home by mid-August.

With a little help from a realtor Kevin knew through the paper, they'd snagged a beautiful two-story house with a driveway, a big back yard, as well as a spacious front lawn. It had a white picket fence, which had actually made Grace gag at first but now seemed like a good idea after factoring the kids in. It had been on the market so long that the couple that'd owned it had already moved out and were itching to make settlement. They'd also gotten it for nearly $30,000 less than it should have been.

Luke had resigned from the FBI, effective as of Monday morning at 8am. It had been a long time coming though, because now he had a lot of press conferences and meetings lined up since a deal was brewing between federal bureaus for his fingerprint formula. Grace had put in for and switched her state bar licensing to Maryland instead of New York. She was still a partner in the New York firm, and was going to start setting up a new branch of the Firm in Arcadia that would service both Arcadia and Baltimore.

After getting out of the car and stretching, Grace and Luke took the girls out and brought them inside. Once inside, Grace set Brynn up in her portable swinging chair to keep her busy. She set Lara up on a blanket on the floor with some Cheerios and coloring books to scribble in. Luke called his parents and within 15 minutes they arrived.

"Oh look at this place," Helen got teary eyed as she looked at the house her son and Grace had bought. She gathered Grace in a hug when Grace stood to greet them and she was surprised when Grace didn't flinch, but hugged her back instead.

Will and Luke walked in, giving updates about the Ryan. As soon as Will and Helen entered the room, Lara dropped her crayon. She stood up and looked between her grandparents, not sure who to go for first. Because Helen was closer, she walked right over, holding her hands out. Helen lifted Lara easily into her arms and kissed her on the cheek, immediately starting a conversation in a singsong voice with Lara.

Will and Luke set about unloading the boxes, starting with the kitchen stuff. Luckily the former couple had left a kitchen table behind, so they would at least be able to have dinner without sitting on the floor. Grace and Helen dug into the grocery bags Helen had bought and set to work on cooking a big dinner since Kevin and Lily were on their way to help.

"Anyone call for a commentating hand truck?" Kevin called out as he wheeled into the kitchen with a box on his lap.

Grace shook her head and laughed at him. "What's that?" She walked over to Kevin. During the week, Luke had gotten Will to wait at the house so that someone would be there when the team of workers came to outfit the front steps and the back deck with a wheel chair ramp for Kevin.

He held the box out to her. "Desert," He smiled. When Grace leaned in to take the box, Kevin ambushed her. "You don't get away that easy," He said pulling her into a hug. Grace laughed at him, barely keeping her balance. She felt comfortable with Luke's family. She felt safe. She felt like she was home.

Grace had barely put the cake down when Caleb came running in with Katie and Justin close at his heels. Caleb threw his arms around Grace's waist. His head came to just about the top of her stomach.

"Whoa," Grace tried not to grimace. Her side was still a little tender.

"Hey, be careful Cay, Aunt Grace still has stitches in her side," Kevin reprimanded as Katie and Justin caught up. Katie threw her arms around the other half of Grace's waist and Justin through his arms around his siblings, not wanting to be left out. "Guys give her some air!" Kevin laughed. Helen watched the scene while trying to hold her laughter back.

"No way, let them get it out of their system plenty now, they're not going to like any of us when they're teenagers," Grace grinned. Caleb looked up earnestly.

"That's not true," He sounded offended

Grace nodded. "We'll see," She winked at him to let him know she was just playing. "There's a swing set and a sandbox out back if you guys want to go play," Grace offered, glancing at Kevin and Lily to see if they approved. Lily nodded and the kids ran off out the back door, bringing Damage with them.

* * *

"Oh! Holy crap! You can't sneak up on my like that after what happened to Grace!" Joan said when she'd locked her office and turned around only to come face to face with cute boy God. She had almost punched him out of sheer shock. "I could have killed you with my wicked jujitsu…" She mocked a ninja stance as she started walking towards the elevators. He smirked as e followed her.

"Funny, I don't remember you know jujitsu," He said to her.

Joan rolled her eyes. "Maybe you lost some of that omniscience then?" She suggested sarcastically.

"I knew you were going to say that," God challenged, sticking his arm out to hold the elevator doors for Joan. She walked in, followed by him.

"He said after the fact," She narrated as the doors shut and they rode towards the lobby. "So what's the deal? You nearly let me, Grace and my innocent, baby nieces get killed for kicks?" Joan left extra emphasis on "innocent baby nieces."

"It's interesting that you're trying to hide your anger towards me, Joan," He smirked. "You usually don't have such self restraint."

Joan looked at him, confused for a moment that he'd figured out her inner feelings. She had had a long day after all. She's helped Grace and Luke pack early in the day and then had scheduled a 3 hour long emergency session for one of her troubled 13 year old clients even though it was Saturday.

"Omniscience, Joan," He explained.

"Oh…duh," Joan said, almost smacking herself in the head for her mental lapse. The reached the lobby and exited the building. God stayed in close stride to Joan as she decided to walk instead of hail a cab.

"I like that you're taking an initiative in saving the planet by walking instead of riding," God spoke up.

Joan snorted. "I guess having Grace as a sister-in-law makes it easier for her to rub off on me."

"Of course, and in the same right for you to rub off on her," He smiled.

Joan arched an eyebrow. "Me? Rub off on Grace? Ha!" She offered an amused chortle of laughter.

"Sometimes we don't realize the true depth of our influence until we open our eyes more fully and take in every detail around us," God said, stopping at a street performer on the corner. Joan watched as God bobbed his head to the sweet melody that the violinist was playing. Joan turned her attention to the violinist as God closed his eyes, using his hands as his head swayed. "Look around you Joan…tell me who this musician has the most influence on?" God asked.

Joan looked first at the violinist. She looked very upscale compared to most of the street performers Joan usually encountered. For a moment she was caught up in the memories of Adam and Grace. Whenever Joan walked with either of them and they came upon a street performer, Grace or Adam would demand to stop and observe for a good fifteen or twenty minutes before leaving at least a ten in whatever kind of case the performer had. The violinist however, looked like she belonged in an orchestra. She opened her eyes, which she had been holding shut, feeling the music. She looked directly at God and offered a nod. God nodded back. The violinist then looked around at the crowd that had gathered. Some threw change and a few dollars into her violin case.

"Did you tell her to do this?" Joan asked.

God glanced at Joan. "I gave her the suggestion, yes," He smiled.

"Why?" Joan asked.

God smirked at her. "Look around you Joan. I want you to tell me," He said.

Joan looked around at the gathered crowd. People from all walks of life were enjoying the beautiful music. Some were highly over dressed to be walking on the street and some looked like their shoes needed to be thrown out months ago. That's when Joan spotted God's reason; the recipient of a ripple effect. There, standing against the leg of her mother, wide-eyed and enthralled, was a little girl no more than a year or two older than Gabe. Her mother looked tired, probably from a long day of work. She wore a waitress uniform. The little girl was decked out in a pair of jeans that looked too short for her and a shirt that was very worn and was riding up at the bottom as if the girl had gone through a growth spurt from the time she'd put the clothes on until the time her mother had picked her up. Her mother held a half-stuffed grocery bag in her arm and a pursed on her shoulder. She was holding the little girl's hand.

"Mama?" The girl tugged at her mother's hand.

"Yes?" The woman asked, ignoring the sweat trickling down her forehead because she had no free hand to wipe it away.

"Can I do that?" She asked, clearly entranced by the sound and movement of the violinist before her.

The mother frowned. Joan noticed some of the more upscale-looking people around her cast shameful glances in the woman's direction. Joan wondered if it was because the woman was so obviously an overworked single mother or because they were afraid they'd catch something from her since they were different colors. Joan frowned as the mother sadly answered her daughter.

"Maybe one day when you're older, honey," She tried to sound hopeful for her daughter but the little girl seemed to understand right away that 'maybe someday' meant it wasn't very likely. 'Maybe someday' was probably what the girl's mother said when she asked if her daddy was ever coming home.

All at once the thrill and excitement left the little girl's face. Her body seemed to slump in sadness. Joan felt her eyes burn. Even as the violinist because to play, facing the little girl as she plucked out a beautifully simply classical piece, the girl's hope vanished.

"Come on sweetie, it's time to go…" The mother said, reluctantly dragging her daughter away. Joan saw the lone tear that traveled down the girl's cheek.

"That's it? You just wanted her to see that she wouldn't be able to make beautiful music because her mother can't afford it?" Joan asked God.

God looked at Joan. "The music and her love for it will not dwindle completely for her, Joan. But her life is not easy. It is, as you thought, full of 'maybe, someday.'" He told her. Joan was sure sadness flickered in his eyes.

Joan shook her head. "This isn't right," She said. Without looking back, she turned and went in the direction she saw the mother and father head in. God smiled after her. He waited a few more minutes before following.

"Excuse me! Miss! Hey watch it buddy," Joan darted through people to catch up to the woman. "Miss! Hey, wait!" She called.

The woman looked over her shoulder and Joan finally caught up, out of breath. "Are you lost?" The woman asked.

"No," Joan shook her head, smiling to the little girl who was looking at her curiously. She reached into her purse as she glanced at the woman's nametag. "Casey, my name's Joan," She shuffled around and found her checkbook. She scribbled into it.

"Is there something I can do for you, because I really need to get home…" Casey felt leery.

Joan leaned down to the little girl. "And what's your name?" She asked.

"Lizzie Smith," The little girl said.

Joan smiled and wrote the rest of the check. She made sure there would be enough for what she thought would be a good violin and then ripped it free. She handed it to the little girl. "This…is so that maybe, someday, you can learn to play the violin like that lady down the street," She said.

Lizzie's eyes widened. She looked at her mother as if asking if she could take it. Casey looked at Joan, bewildered.

"Oh, no, we couldn't-,"

"Please…" Joan looked at Casey. "I have a son just a bit younger than her and if there was anyway I couldn't make any of his dreams come true…well I don't know what I would do…" She knew it sounded cheesy but sometimes compassion was full of cheese.

Casey looked at Joan for a moment, mulling this over. She looked down at her daughter's pleading eyes and gave in, nodding to Lizzie. Lizzie reached out and accepted the gift.

"Thank you!" Lizzie smiled gleefully.

Joan nodded, smiling. "Put it to good use," She said to Lizzie, who nodded emphatically.

"Thank you…" Casey said with filled eyes. Joan nodded and watched them head up the street.

"Compassion is a rare trait in many people anymore," God said from next to Joan. He wore an impressed expression. Joan was still watching after Casey and Lizzie. "So I know you have tomorrow and Monday clear on your schedule…" He said.

Joan looked at him. "I feel a suggestion coming on," Joan commented.

God smirked. "I want you and Adam to take the family home until Monday. You're needed there."

"Is something horrible going to happen again?" Joan frowned.

God smirked. He surprised Joan when he answered her. "Ryan Hunter is in Texas," He told her, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Grace needs strength…it's strength only you and Adam can give her."

"O-kay…" Joan said as God walked away, casting a backwards wave to her.

* * *

After dinner, around 8pm, Helen, Will, Kevin, Lily and the kids left to go to their homes. Grace promised to meet Helen for lunch with the girls on Monday, at Helen's request. After everyone left, Luke and Grace spent three hours putting two cribs together. By the time they'd finished, Brynn was already asleep. Lara however had taken a nice long nap during the afternoon and didn't seem to want to go to sleep. So, while Luke said goodnight to Lara and went to put his and Grace's bed frame together, Grace sat in the rocking chair with Lara and tried to get the toddler to sleep.

Thirty-five minutes later it was almost 11:45. Grace walked into the large master bedroom that was one door down from the room the girls were in. Luke was on the floor in the middle of the large metal and wooden frame that would eventually be their bed frame. He was so intent on staring at the directions as he turned a screw driver, he didn't notice Grace's entrance. She watched him from the doorway for a few minutes

He had a pencil in his teeth, marking off each step as he completed it. He sat with one leg straight and the other curled under him. The direction book was strewn across his curled leg as he turned the screw driver. Grace frowned at the appearance of his face. Since Ryan had attacked, Luke had progressed into a state of insomnia.

She couldn't remember the last time she woke up in the middle of the night and he was actually asleep. There were dark bags under his eyes. Most of the time there was a crease of worry etched into his forehead. Granted Grace had experienced a few sleepless nights because of a nightmare or two involving Ryan and the girls, but she was growing more and more worried about Luke each day. In an ironic turn of fate, he was becoming more and more standoffish about talking to her about the subject.

Crossing the hardwood floor, Grace climbed inside the frame and sat down behind Luke. He glanced briefly over his shoulder to acknowledge he saw her before going back to another screw. Grace sat down behind Luke, resting her legs along either side of him. She slipped her hands under his arms and loosely looped them around him and she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Why don't we give it a rest for tonight?" She suggested, turning her head and trailing a few kisses along the side and back of his neck.

She heard Luke inhale deeply and smiled to herself. "We don't have a bed to sleep on without this frame," He replied.

"So what?" Grace said between a few more strategically placed kisses.

"So…I have to finish this before we can even think about sleep," He stopped working and turned his head sideways to look at her as he spoke. "And then there's your office room, the guestroom, both bathrooms, the living room and the dining room," He rambled. "Plus unpacking the rest of the girls' stuff and our clothes and-,"

"Whoa, slow down Speed Racer. We can't do all of that in one night," Grace relied. "And we have a place to sleep. We'll just move all the pieces of the rest of the frame and headboard to the side and drop the top mattress on the flood inside the frame. I'm sure the comforter is around here somewhere," She shrugged, putting her chin back down on his shoulder. "We can finish everything tomorrow," She suggested, hoping he would agree. She was tired but was determined to stay awake long enough to get Luke to sleep.

Luke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay," He nodded and went to move.

"Oh, no you don't. I didn't say you could stand up yet," Grace held onto him.

Luke rolled his eyes. He reached down and loosened Grace's grip, climbing out of her embrace. "Come on, Grace, stop playing around," He climbed out from inside the frame and went to a pile of boxes nearby to put his screwdriver, pencil and instructions booklet down. He ran a ragged hand through his hair, knowing he shouldn't have snapped at her. He turned around and crossed his arms as he leaned back against the boxes tiredly. He looked at Grace.

Grace was sitting on the floor still. She was looking up at Luke with her mouth open just a tiny bit and a confused and hurt expression shining in her eyes. Luke put his head down and ran a tired hand through his hair at the back of his head again.

"Look, I'm sorry-,"

"Did I do something or is this just a temporary breakdown?" Grace interrupted him, resting her hands on her knees as she pulled them up.

"What?" Luke asked even though he knew what she'd meant.

"Don't play dumb, we both know you're a genius," Grace said pointedly. "I just need to know if you're headed for meltdown because if you are I need to prepare myself, I'm not sure I can save you dude when we've got so much going on with the girls and your finger print stuff and relocating my work and don't' forget the whole Ryan paranoia crap. You're the strong one," Grace cringed, hating to admit this. "So I mean send out an SOS, cry mayday, do _something_. But don't you dare just stand there acting like nothing's-,"

"Grace, stop," Luke interrupted her. Grace looked at him, trying to gauge his thoughts. He took a deep breath and looked at his feet. "I've just had a lot on my mind and it's been hard to sleep. There's no meltdown on the horizon, okay?"

Grace studied him for another moment until he looked at her again. "You've hardly slept in weeks," She pressed on.

Luke sighed, putting his head down and rubbing his hands across the back of his neck. "Can you blame me? My family's in danger," He stated.

"You think that doesn't register with me?" Grace asked incredulously.

Luke reached around to rub his eyes. "What are we even arguing about?" He asked.

"Your mental meltdown," Grace commented.

"I'm not having a mental meltdown, all right?" Luke almost shouted using his hand for emphasis as he looked at her now.

Grace didn't even flinch, but she kept her eyes on Luke as he paced slightly.

"You don't know what I'm feeling or thinking okay so you can't possibly understand why I haven't been able to sleep," He said quickly.

Grace stood and walked over towards there their mattresses were lying against the wall. "All right," She nodded with a deep breath. "Let's just lay this down and try to get to sleep then," She said calmly.

Luke looked at her, perplexed for a moment, before he grabbed one end and they dropped it on the floor inside the half finished frame on the floor. Grace dug through a box and found their bedding. She pulled out a sheet to put it on the mattress before dropping the comforter on the bed and finding her pajamas to change into them.

"So…so that's it?" Luke asked, stripping his pants and shirt off to prepare for bed.

Grace shrugged and pursed her lips tightly together. "I'm not going to force you to talk, geek," She said.

Luke watched her drop some pillows onto the bed. She sat so she was leaning her back against the wall and pulled the covers over her legs. It was cold now in the house, since it had been so humid outside that they put the central air on. She managed to find some files that she was helping Andy Wells go over for an upcoming case. She planned to fax him her notes from Kevin and Lily's house the next day if she and Luke didn't get the computer and fax machine up and running by the afternoon. She held a highlighter and a pencil and a legal pad nearby for underlining and note taking.

Out of the corner of her eye, Grace watched as Luke mechanically laid himself down on the mattress and pulled the covers over half of his body. He lay there with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling in the dim light. She noticed him look at her a couple of times and opened his mouth to speak, but would just closed it a few seconds later as if deciding what he was thinking of saying was too trivial to vocalize.

After a long while of silence, Grace looked over and saw that Luke was asleep. His brow was knitted and tense. His body was rigid, as if he was on guard even in his slumber. She sighed as she piled her notes and the files on the floor nearby. She reached over and turned the lamp on the floor off. Once her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, she slid her body down so she was lying on the mattress on her side, facing Luke.

She watched the blue-gray tinted light cast shadows across his stricken face as she ran her hand along his cheek and into his hair. She remembered this strained, worried look while he slept. He'd donned it many times when she was pregnant with Lara. She was on bed rest for a whole month after the bike messenger.

She had been four months pregnant then. Luke had been jumpy. Anytime he'd bumped into her, he'd apologize profusely and ask for hours afterwards if she was okay. If he tossed or turned in his sleep and happened to even tap her, he was up for hours, watching her sleep just to make sure he hadn't hurt her.

When she'd woken up in the hospital after the messenger hit her, she'd heard Luke in the hallway yelling at the doctors to let him see her. She had smiled to herself then, until he burst into the room. He looked like he could have keeled over at any moment. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, his face was creased with worried and he was shaking so intensely that Grace wasn't sure how he was standing because surely his legs had wobbled right out from under him.

Grace sighed, feeling her eyelids become heavier. She resolved to try to talk to Luke in the morning again. Grace had just fallen into a deep sleep when she was startled awake by Luke, who had emitted a loud cry of pain.

Grace was sitting straight up before her eyes even popped open. She looked next to her to find Luke curled tightly into a fetal position with his left hand clenched on the left side of his head tightly and his right hand covering the right half of his face. The veins in his head and neck pulsed and his fingers turned white from pressing so hard. He cried out, tears running down his face as he shook.

"Luke, what's wrong?" Grace asked. "What's going on? Luke!" Grace shook him by his shoulder. Luke was rocking slightly by now.

"No…stop…" He said between cries and sobs. "Please…just stop…please…" He pleaded.

Grace was beginning to get panicked. "Luke! Come on, wake up!" She shook him harder. "LUKE!" She screamed leaning herself down closer.

Luke jolted. His eyes opened wide and darted around, trying to figure out where he was. Grace tried to pry his hands away from his face. Before she could say his name again Luke reached out desperately and buried his face against Grace's stomach, wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding on. She felt his hands clinging against her back.

Grace did the only thing she could think of. She ran her hands through his hair and down his back, rocking slightly.

"You were dreaming," She tried to keep her voice as calm and soothing as possible. "It's all right, you're awake now," She told him as she fought the shock that was rumbling through her. What the hell was going on? Grace leaned down and kissed the top of Luke's head, resting her cheek sideways against his head.

Luke muttered apologies that muffled into Grace's stomach and chest. Grace held on almost as tight as Luke was holding onto her.

When Luke still hadn't calmed down nearly twenty minutes later, Grace felt herself beginning to breakdown. Her eyes filled and her heart pounded. Her throat felt dry. What was she supposed to do? She sniffled herself.

"Tell me what to do, I don't know what's wrong, Luke…" She finally forced out into his hair. Luke's body froze and went rigid when he heard the tone of her voice. Grace felt guilt riddle through her. Great, now she'd made him feel twice as bad. Luke took a few deep, calming breaths.

After a few more minutes he finally spoke. His body turned now, and the back of his head was against Grace's body. His arms curled in around her arms as she held him there. He stared off into the darkness as Grace watched him intently. She watched his watery eyes spill hot tears every now and then as he blinked.

"I-I…keep having these dreams…" He voice was barely above a whisper. "T-they don't feel like dreams…they feel real…" He choked out.

"What kind of dreams?" Grace tried not to let her weakness shine through in her voice.

"You…a-and, and Adam…standing…" He cleared his throat and inhaled a shaky breath. "St-standing at a grave…I can only get so close…And I ask who's…who's it is…" He clenched his eyes shuts. "They just look at me…un-until I scream at them." Luke slowly opened his eyes. "And they just point…so, so…I turn around…and…" He shook his head, shaking as more tears came out. Grace watched him. Her own eyes filled. "And it's you…" He sniffled. "You look…." He trailed off; clearly wishing this image was not in his head. "You look…like something…out of, out of a horror movie…" His voice grew weaker and he swallowed hard and turned his eyes to her. She watched tears flow out of his eyes and back into his hair. "A-and then you ask me, 'w-why did you let him do this to me?'" Luke clenched his eyes shut tightly again. He shook his head. "I'm sorry…" He breathed. "I'm so sorry…"

Grace moved her hands and took his face firmly in her palms. "Open your eyes…" She demanded. Slowly, Luke let his eyes open and looked at her. "He's not going to beat us, Luke…" She said firmly. "You are not responsible for anything he does," She breathed in deeply, using a hand to caress the side of his face and trailing her thumb to wipe at some of his tears. "We're going to get through this…" She said defiantly. She kissed him and hugged him tightly. Luke hugged her back, burrowing his face into the crook of her neck and hair. "Together right? That's what you always tell me." She planted a kiss against the side of his head. "We'll get through all of it together," She told him.

"It's other people too…" Luke whispered. "Sometimes the girls…" He cringed, "And my dad…Joan….Adam…" He explained slowly. Grace held onto to him and told him it was just a dream for at least an hour before Luke succumbed to exhaustion.

**

* * *

July 26th, 2015**

"And what are your plans for today?" Helen asked Joan as she sat across from her daughter, who was engrossed in cleaning up after Mac as Mac made a mess of oatmeal while trying to eat it. Helen had been surprised to come down to the kitchen at only 6:30 am to find Joan just finishing cooking pancakes for Gabe. She had made extra pancakes for everyone and had just finished making a pot of coffee. She told her mother that she was just about to wake Helen and Will up for some breakfast but Mac was getting fussy. Adam had helped, but was not getting a shower.

"We're going to stop by and see Lily and the kids at the daycare center and then I think we'll pop on over and surprise Luke and Grace, you know, see if they need any help," Joan replied.

Helen nodded, eyeing her daughter for a moment. Joan noticed this and glanced from her mom to Mac and back.

"What?" She asked her mom.

Helen seemed like she was about to answer but changed her mind. "Nothing," She smiled. Mac launched another spoonful of oatmeal and laughed. "You used to do that all the time," Helen chuckled as Joan reached with a rag to clean it off the floor.

Joan chortled and looked at her mom. "I'm sorry," She said. Both women laughed heartily at the comment around their cups of coffee.

"And what is it we're laughing at so early in the morning?" Will asked as he entered the kitchen in his flannel pants and a t-shirt. He poured himself a cup of coffee and then kissed Joan on the top of her head. He sat down next to Helen and they exchanged a short kiss.

"Oh…nothing," Helen smiled and took a sip of her coffee.

"Your turn," Adam said as he entered the kitchen. He was dressed in a loose pair of jeans a white long sleeve shirt and an old paint smeared diesel shirt over top of that. His hair was wet and hanging slightly in his face. He came over and took Joan's seat as she stood. "Mr. & Mrs. G," Adam smiled and nodded to them, before turning his attention to Mac, who wagged her oatmeal covered spoon at him happily.

"Hi dada!" She said happily.

"Hello baby," He leaned in and kissed her cheek even though her face was covered in oatmeal. "Mmm, you taste like the Quaker man," He licked his lips dramatically. Helen and Will exchanged a glance that didn't go unnoticed by Joan. Joan simply smiled as Adam and Gabe started talking about 'centering art.' Helen laughed, knowing that he meant censoring and not centering but it was their running joke.

"Tell Nona what mommy tried to do when you drew on the wall, Gabe?" Adam asked.

Gabe's eyes widened. "Nona mommy tried to center me!" He claimed.

"Your mommy? Never!" Helen feigned shock

"Ya huh!" Gabe continued. Joan smiled as she turned to leave the room and go get her own shower.

It was 2pm when Grace had finally had enough of working in awkward silence with Luke. Lilly had come by and picked the girls up to watch them at the day care center for the day so Luke and Grace could finish unpacking the house. They had gone furniture shopping at 10am when the store opened and had managed to find suitable couches, loveseats, chairs, a dining room set, a washer and dryer and other smaller necessities by noon.

Once they'd gotten back home, Luke had started building the wall-length desk they'd gotten for her office. Grace had gone through the house and hung all the curtains and shades on the windows. Luke had finished the office by 2 and was now trying to get all the ceiling fans up. They had been avoiding talking about the night before. Most of the time they glanced at each other, wanting to ask if the other was okay, and just wound up staring at each other for a few unspoken seconds before returning to working.

"I'm going to go for the groceries," She told Luke as he worked on the fan in the living room.

"Okay…" Luke replied quietly as he turned one last screw.

Grace lingered for a moment, watching him. She wanted to smack him and shake him out of whatever he was in. She wanted him to talk too much and to ramble on about his thoughts even if she couldn't help him sort them out. She wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay even though she wasn't sure if it would be. She needed to believe it would be. Grace turned and headed out the front door. She made it to the door of the car when Luke caught up to her and grabbed her arm. Grace jumped slightly.

"You can't do that to me," She chided as she turned around. She let her voice trail off when her eyes met his and she saw his intensity. It almost scared her. She felt her heart thump in her throat.

"I'm sorry," He told her.

Grace stared up at him for awhile. She wasn't sure what to say. She was actually hoping for once that he could see everything she was feeling and thinking inside of her eyes, because she could definitely see and feel his emotions in his eyes. She felt desperate to reassure him but she couldn't figure out how. She chose to act instead of talk. She leaned up and kissed him. Luke watched her.

Grace nodded. "I know…it's all right," She opened the car door. "You know we still have to talk later, right?" She asked as she climbed into the seat and started the energy saving hybrid. Luke nodded. Grace nodded back. "I'll be back by 4," She told him. Luke nodded and shut her door for her before watching her drive off.

* * *

"So…look I know I haven't ever come to visit you, but I didn't know what to say," Grace frowned at the grave marker in front of her. The name on the marker was not her mother's and that was weird. It wasn't even Judith's. She had actually been to Judith's headstone a couple of times before they had all graduated high school. She had come to visit this grave but instead had found herself at Judith's, unable to go anywhere else.

Grace took a deep breath. "I wanted to come and visit you know," She shrugged. "It just didn't feel right then," She ran a few fingers across the engraved name. She sighed as she moved and picked up a potted plant of daffodils. "They're yellow, like those boats Rove used to draw for you."

Grace reached down; preparing to dig at the dirt, fully intending to un-pot the plants and bury them at Elizabeth's grave so that they could grow in the ground near the old grave. She stopped in her tracks and put the potted plant down when she saw a paper boat lying against the grave on the ground. Grace bit her lip.

Hesitantly, she reached a hand out and touched the paper boat just to make sure it was real. Once she realized it was real, she gingerly ran a finger down its perfectly folded edge. She picked the paper up, glancing around. The cold and frozen parts of the groceries in the car were probably starting to melt. Grace turned the boat over in her hand. She felt her eyes fill. She shook her head.

"I use to think you were who I wanted to be," She told the headstone, still fondling the paper boat. "I used to love when you let me stay over at night without asking why. And you used to be so collected and together. You smiled all the time. You were always there for us…more then my mom," She snorted. "Which you know," She smirked and shook her head. "What's scary now is, we're all doomed aren't we? We're doomed to let them down just like you both let us down. It's rare when parents are as steadfast in raising their kids. Hell, I'm already losing, mine almost died because of me," Grace shook her head. "I don't know why I'm even here talking to you. It's not like you can hear me. Mom either. She probably doesn't even care. Can you get drunk when you're dead?" Grace asked.

She shook her head. Years of memories and let downs rattle around in her mind. Why did she feel more comfortable coming to Elizabeth's grave then her own? Two people were less than steady. Luke and Joan's parents, they're unwavering in their dedication. Luke and Joan are too. Was Grace? She thought she was. Then again, after last night she felt weak and terrified. Was Ryan going to cause her family to crumble? When had Grace let the rest of her walls fall and accepted all of this change in her life? It wasn't the first moment she let Luke in, but that had been the catalyst. Once her trust was in him, slowly, over the years he had picked at the walls, brick by brick. She retained some of her hardened cynicism but now she put it to good use. She helped people. So why did she feel so vulnerable?

"Forget it, it's not important," She finally spoke. Looking at the boat, she noticed something was written on the inside of it. Grace carefully unfolded it. On the inside she found shocking words. It was her poem. She had thought this poem had been lost to Joan's dusty scrap booking. Here it was in pencil print inside a paper boat. Who besides Rove would do this? Rove's in New York.

Grace heard herself as she began to read it out loud.

_You and me, we used to talk __  
Like a river underground, the sewer where we used to walk.  
The hole at the end empties out to the pier  
Where paperboats disappear _

Me, I try to send this note,  
Float it like a paper boat,  
But paper sinks and words are weak.  
I try but I don't speak

Join together in the silent snow  
Turn our faces up to see  
Not endless night, but day  
A pier  
And you and me, talking

Grace sighed and shook her head as she looked down at the poem. She refolded it and placed it back in its spot. She heard feet rustling against the grass and figured it was someone visiting a grave nearby. She ran her hand over the boat one more time.

"Words are weak," She said to herself as she climbed to her feet.

"You and me…we used to talk," A quiet, thoughtful voice said from behind Grace.

Grace nearly leapt out of her skin in shock. She turned around and rubbed her eyes before staring at Adam, unsure if he was really there.

"What are you doing here?" She asked when she figured out that she wasn't hallucinating.

Adam smiled at her. "We cleared out schedules until Tuesday so that we could get some rest in. Jane said it would be a good idea to come down and help you and Luke unpack and visit," He told her. "Luke said you were getting groceries and you were late," He shrugged. "I figured I'd check here when I didn't see your car at the store…I left that this morning…" He pointed to the boat.

Grace nodded, looking at her feet. She wasn't sure if she wanted Adam to know how much she really did need him to be standing right in front of her right now. She shuffled her feet a little, straightening her shirt. She had to think of something to say soon before he got suspicious.

"Those are beautiful," Adam said, spotting the flowers.

Grace looked at them and then at him nervously. "I-I just…I haven't visited her since…you know."

Adam turned and stood next to Grace. He reached his arm out and wrapped his hand up in hers. They stood at the foot of the grave in silence for a moment.

"I used to pretend you were standing next to me when I came to visit her," He said quietly.

Grace didn't respond. She felt her vulnerability breaking through and it scared her even after all of this time. She gripped his hand tighter. She was vaguely aware of Adam turning his head to look at her.

"Grace?" He asked, sounding startled.

It was then at Grace realized she had started crying. She felt embarrassment but it was overshadowed by emotion. She felt lost. She didn't know what to do to help Luke and she was afraid to talk to Joan about it. She was afraid to talk to Adam too, but for some reason she felt it was almost possible to talk to him about it. Then again what she was really scared of was that they already knew. Maybe God, or Collier knew and told them. Maybe the dreams were coming to Luke because of God or Collier.

"Grace what's wrong?" Adam asked. He stepped in front of Grace and placed his hands at her shoulders.

Grace looked at him with weary and tired eyes. She tried to speak but nothing came out. Adam brushed her hair out of her face.

"You can talk to me Grace. I know you think you can't anymore…or you haven't been able to for a long time cause of…" He frowned, "Tell me what's wrong," His eyes pleaded with her. He felt guilty for the years he'd been too wrapped up in his pain to see what his silence and Grace's parents were doing to her.

"I don't know what to do…" She finally spoke. Her shoulders hunched and she began spilling everything out to Adam. He opened his arms and pulled her against himself. Grace's hands gripped the front of his shirt as she buried her head sideways against his chest and tried to make sense of what was going on. Before she knew it she was on a sobbing rant about how helpless and weak she felt and how she couldn't keep on feeling this way. She screamed to him that she wanted to fix all the pain she'd caused. That's when Adam stopped her.

"What makes you think any of this is your fault?" He asked her.

"It is…he's related to me," She said weakly. She knew Adam was going to protest.

"Don't be dense, Grace," Adam said angrily. "You know damn well this is not your fault just like it's not mine, Luke's, Jane's, or anyone else's but Ryan's fault." He said sternly. Grace just looked up at Adam, unsure how to respond. After a moment she sniffled and nodded, looking down and feeling dumb for ever wanting to blame herself. "If you ever think that again I'm totally going to tell Luke about your weakness for slow acoustic folk songs by people like Jim Croce and Kenny Loggins…"

Grace opened her eyes wide at Adam in shock. "You wouldn't…" She said, astounded.

"I would," He nodded, taking her hand and leading her towards her car. As Adam drove towards Luke and Grace's home, Grace thought about what she should expect. No doubt Joan would have coaxed out of Luke what had happened. That was when Grace knew God had told Joan to come home and help him. Grace shook her head, this was getting complicated. Oh well, at least they had reinforcements, even if only for a couple of days.

**

* * *

A/N: Yes I know that's a weird place to end so sue me! Well, lay it on me and don't be afraid to be critical! Suckage or Rockage? Oh, and happy Labor Day people!**

**Chapter title from "Meltdown" by Ash.**

**Responses: Audrey – **You need to update again! I'm dying here! Ha! Thanks for the kudos, much love!

**Butterfly Dancing – **I'm humbled by your review! Thank you very much. I figured it was Joan's turn to you know, kick some boo-tay. I let Luke's paranoia feed into his reaction. Lol sorry, sorry, but Grace had to have a showdown, it was way over due! I'm not sure about the gun resurfacing yet. Well not that specific gun but, a gun. Lol, if in this story I make anything happen to the kids, know that I will be full on bawling as I type it. Thanks again, much love!

**Jane and Adam – **Haha, you were supposed to be worried! Just because Joan was okay in this chapter doesn't mean she's in the clear though! Ryan is evil…I felt dirty writing him he's so evil lol. Thanks for the kudos, much love!

**Carol – **Thank you for the humbling review! Dom will be making future appearances soon. Lol, that's an interpretation I didn't even think of, Anneliese stabbing Grace lol. I'm glad it gave you a thrill though! Yeah Tennessee…one day I'll go to Memphis and Nashville…sigh. Okay I won't tell you if anyone dies. I wasn't going to tell you who, just yes or no! Lol, thanks again, much love!

**Michelle – **I have missed you! Thank you so much for taking the time to e-mail me about reviewing! I was touched! I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your grandmother. Where are you from and where's the Leukemia walk? If you e-mail me info, I'll donate! I hope your friends and family who were affected by Katrina are okay. A couple of my college friends' family and friends were affected too. I'm glad you didn't desert. I understand about not reviewing. Take your time getting back to us! Let me know about that info! Much love!

**Hezziebob182 – **Thank you very much for the awesome kudos. I'm glad it didn't suck and it rocked! I'm humbled by the fact that you think this is unfreakingbelievably fantastic! Much love time 10, yo!

**Magentabear – **Dude, okay first of all your update was phenomenal! Ahem…thanks for the kudos. Haha, I'm sorry your uncle called right in the middle of the bathroom scene! That must have been traumatizing! Thanks again, much love (update again soon!)

**Sayxanything – **Thanks for the stellar kudos, yo. It really humbles me to know when people just can't stop reading a chapter once they start. So something is up with Luke, I know it's probably not what people were expecting. Dom's going to reappear soon. Prolly the next chapter. Liese is…well, I can't say good or bad. You'll see. P.S. – did my reviews for your story go through this time? Much love!

**Sam – **Helllooooo! Thanks, I'm glad you don't hate it! I apologize for slowing your homework down, ha! Oh my God, the hammock scene was so much fun writing. I was swooning and I was the one writing it. Of course, that's actually because it's based semi on actual events…but…ahem. Thanks again! Much love!

**Kool-Wolf – **Dude! I know it had more Ryan in it, I though you'd like that! I know his name is Stephen because I saw it on the JoA e-bay auction on the Bat Mitzvah invitations. Ah, but you TYPED shut up, you didn't say it, which would imply stop typing my foe. Not sure about another story. Might hang in the towel after this one. I haven't decided yet. Hate your guts back, violence to you! P.S. – I live in Philly, Pa. A couple of my friends from college are from New Orleans. Their families are/were in or around N.O. during Katrina. (Sure, I bet you are a stalker…)

**Tiffany – **Nice ending dude. Waiting for the turmoil in the next on, yo! Thanks for the kudos as always, much love! E-mail me!

**SecretJoAFan/LBMW – **Show your JoA fanness with pride! Ha! Thanks for the review and the love! Sorry for taking so long to update! Hope you liked this chapter. Much love!

**Coveredinrain16 – **I left you speechless! Whoa! Thanks for the kudos! Lol, I like your change of heart for Collier. He's dealing with rough stuff. I'm humbled by your kind words, thank you. I heard about the petition and I sent in my e-mail. I'm unworthy to have my stories held up to the writing of JoA, honestly, but grateful you hold it in such high regard! Where are you a freshman at? Good luck with the honors classes! Yes, CBG was the one who got Collier. I'm glad I keep you addicted! I'm clinging to the fanfic myself for continuing this show. Much love back! P.S. – You hit the nail on the head my friend, that's definitely what they're all about!

**A/N : Thanks again to the loyals, I love ya! All of you should check out and reviews each other's stories because all of them rock! I try to get to and read and review all of them as best I can! Good work everyone! If there are any of your stories you want me to read in particular that I haven't yet let me know in your review! Much love (violence to KW)! **


	6. If I Had 1,000,000 Dollars

**Story Title: Keep the Faith  
Rating:** T-M as always just in case.  
**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.  
**A/N:** Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)

**

* * *

Chapter 6 – If I Had $1,000,000**

**August 3rd, 2015**

By the time Friday had rolled around all of their furniture had come and the house was pretty much all finished. There was still a guest bedroom to renovate and they had to decide what to do with the basement and the garage that hung off the side of the house feeding from the driveway.

Grace had succeeded in procuring an office building that was between Arcadia and Baltimore making it a thirty minute drive from either city as well as a close drive to surrounding areas. She had used the law firm's account to hire a designer to set up 3rd floor of the building which Grace had managed to secure. It held the capacity for a main lobby and 9 offices. Aside from moving heavy furniture around, putting things together and situating work, Luke had spent Tuesday afternoon playing phone tag with multiple head honchos, discussing payment for use of his formula. Wednesday he met with some of them to give them a demonstration of the liquid concoction.

After Joan and Adam had sat Luke and Grace down for a pseudo-intervention in which all four of them yelled, shared their fears, and straightened out and cleared away as much of the cobwebs of fear, doubt and guilt as they could, Grace and Luke were slowly falling back into their normal selves. Luke had still had trouble sleeping a couple of nights, but at least now Grace was there to talk to about it.

Saturday brought lots of tiring rearranging to finally finish the living room and the master bathroom as well as stock piling the bathrooms with towels, toiletries and other such supplies. Likewise, Sunday had brought some much needed rest in the form of a barbecue at Helen and Will's house. Caleb had spent hours sitting with Brynn in his lap playing with her, which at one point had spawned an argument between him and Katie, who wanted to play with the baby.

Now that it was Monday, Grace wanted just to sleep in. She could think of a tons of better things to do than interviews for new lawyers; things like spending the day with the girls and Luke. She missed the hammock that hung on the balcony of their New York apartment. Grace wasn't sure if they'd packed it and brought it with them, and even if they had, she had no idea where they would hang it anyway. She missed lying in it across from Luke with the girls, just having quiet time.

Grace had gotten home at 5. She interviewed 25 people. 15 of them hadn't even gotten their bar exam results back yet. Three of them seemed more suited for those injury lawyers you see in commercials with their fake promises. _Call the injury hotline now; we don't get paid until you do! _Two of them seemed legitimately dedicated. They were older than Grace and had tried more cases. One of them left Grace somewhere in between hiring him and telling him to get lost. And the last two were looking for internships. Grace had offered to hire each one part time secretary assistants. Of course she was planning on giving them all the perks she received as an intern when she was in school.

Before the day was out, she had even held an interview with a perspective client. She had returned home to an empty house. She knew Luke had probably gone to pick up the girls from the day care center where Lily was probably just closing up. Grace set her briefcase down by the front door. She walked through the foyer, in through the dining room and finally into the kitchen. Along the wall to her right was a door to the backyard, then the refrigerator, which sat next to the counter with cabinets framing it. The counter stretched along the wall for about ten feet, with a sink in the middle. Above the sink were two windows framed in curtains. It gave a clear view of the backyard, which still had a swing set and sandbox in the far corner that the pervious owners had put in.

The counter shaped like an L, extending out about 6 feet from the wall. On one side of it was an open counter with a toaster, coffee pot and a microwave on it. On the outside of the counter were a set of stools. Beyond that was the kitchen table which was framed by large windows on two sides that let in adequate lighting until the sun went down. Finishing the broken U shape was the island counter that sat across from where the sink was. It was only about 4 feet long and it held the stove and oven in the middle of it. Grace grabbed a short glass and opened the fridge, trying to decide what she wanted to drink. After a few minutes, she closed the fridge door and opened the cabinet above the fridge.

Though she hated the idea of it, they had a liquor cabinet. It was well out of reach of their kids and their nieces and nephews. It was mostly in place for their guests. Luke used it for some bottles of his favorite wine when they had pasta for dinner. Grace reached in and grabbed the bottle of Brandy they kept in the cabinet for when Luke's dad visited. She brought it over to the counter with her and sat down on one of the stool chairs.

* * *

"Mommy?" Gabe asked. The Rove family sat around their dinner table. Mac was already shoveling through her macaroni and cheese giving herself an orangey-yellow mustache and beard. Adam had just finished cutting Gabe's chicken and had started on his own while Joan had filled up drinks for everyone. 

"What honey?" Joan replied, reaching out and taking the small pot full of string beans that Adam held out for her. She was scooping them on her plate as Gabe stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth using his hand while swinging his feet as he sat in his chair.

"Can we live where Nona and Popi live?" He licked at some ketchup that was on her fingers as he spoke.

Joan looked at Adam, who had stopped chewing when Gabe asked this. They exchanged a glance as they tried to psychically convey what their answer to him should be. Adam quickly chewed the rest of his mouthful of food and swallowed. He tore his eyes away from Joan and looked at Gabe.

"Why, pal, would you rather live there instead?" Adam asked. Joan looked at him with a ridiculous face. Obviously Gabe wanted something along those lines or he wouldn't have asked. Adam shrugged to her as if to say 'well, what was I supposed to ask?' Gabe turned his attention to his dad. Adam looked at him and Gabe nodded.

"How come, Gabe?" Joan asked.

Gabe turned his head and looked back at Joan. "Cause we all alone," he said simply. Joan and Adam glanced at each other again as Gabe dug into the rest of the food on his plate.

"Whoa buddy, use your spoon, not your hand," Adam changed the subject as he reached out to wipe Gabe's ketchup covered hand and handed the boy his spoon. Joan shook the thoughts out of her head and went back to eating.

* * *

"Hey, I'm back!" Luke called as he entered the house. 

"Kitchen," Grace called out to him.

Luke wandered in, still talking. "I left the girls at mom's; she invited us over for dinner. I didn't get time to go grocery shopping so I figured that would be better than take out," Luke stopped as he approached Grace. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Grace was sitting at the counter. Her head was resting forlornly with her palms on either side of it just above her ears. She was staring at a glass that was about a quarter of the way filled with a dark colored liquid. Luke saw the bottle sitting off to the side of her left arm. Grace didn't tear her eyes away from it.

"Trying to figure it out," She said as Luke walked to the other side of the counter opposite her.

"Trying to figure what out?" He asked cautiously.

Grace glanced at him, almost amused for a moment and then back at the glass. She picked it up and turned the glass a few times, letting the liquid loll around in the bottom.

"What's so great about it?" She asked. "Does it really get rid of all your worries and troubles? And if that was the case why would you want to drown in it? Wouldn't you want to celebrate the fact that you weren't stressed out anymore? Maybe that's why it made mom sing all the time..." She stood up and brought the cup to the sink, dumping its contents into the drain before opening the dishwasher and placing the glass upside down in the top try. She walked over and took the bottle off the counter, replacing it in the cabinet.

Luke shrugged. "I don't know," He confessed.

"Irony; you drink intoxicating liquid that destroys your liver in bulk and don't know why, hmm..." Grace commented, straightening out her hair and shirt. Luke stood and pushed the stools in.

"Well, no, I drink wine when I eat pasta because that's what I'm used to and it tastes good with the meal," He shrugged again as he approached her. "Sometimes people turn it into a crutch. That's what you don't get about it," He managed to lace his arms around her waist before she could step away.

"Maybe," Grace looked up at him. "So, to your mom's for dinner then?" She asked. Grace had been shying away from asking him as much about the dreams because it bothered him enough to go through them once in dream form. She tried her best to rely on him starting a converation about it if he needed to. Luke nodded, studying her for a moment. "Dude, I wasn't drinking it, I was just thinking," She assured.

Luke smiled. "I know that," He said as if she were crazy. "I was just wondering if I've ever told you how much I enjoy your eyes."

Grace laughed slightly, almost throwing her head back as Luke held onto her. "Okay Casanova, let's go," She turned around, leading him by his tie towards the door.

"Hey, I was being serious!" Luke tried to complain as they headed across the lawn for the car.

* * *

"Up and at 'em, Diordus," The prison guard rattled on Dominique's cell bars. Dominique sat up on her bed. "You're free to go," he handed her the belongings that had been taken from her when she'd been processed. The guard turned his back to her and Dominique changed from her prison issue clothing to her regular clothes. 

"How is this possible?" She questioned as she dumped out the large yellow envelope into her hand. She put the little bit of money she had in her pocket along with her ID. She hooked a silver necklace with a plain silver cross on it around her neck. It had been her mother's.

"You made bail," The guard replied, leading her out to towards the main lobby.

"But, who…" Dominique let the sentence trail off. What if it was Ryan?

"Sign this," The guard at the front desk said. Dominique signed the papers. They handed her some paper work. "You're free to go," The woman said.

Dominique turned around. As she walked through the front lobby she was relieved to find that Ryan wasn't there. Wouldn't that be a kick? Ryan Hunter coming into a prison to bail me out; although so far Ryan had been proving pretty elusive to the authorities. Dom took a few steps outside and stopped at the top of the cement stairs. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of air.

"I knew you could break that spell,"

Dom's eyes popped open. At the bottom of the steps, Collier was leaning back against the cement wall that framed the steps with his arms crossed. He uncrossed them and slowly walked up the steps.

"I'd ask if you remember me, but from the look on your face, it seems you do," Collier said once he was in front of her.

"You posted my bail?" She asked him.

Collier nodded. "Actually, Grace and Luke are working to make sure the charges against you are dropped," He told her, nodding his head for her to follow him. With no other choices, Dominique followed next to Collier as he walked down the steps and towards a parking lot.

"I find that hard to believe…" She sighed. "Not after all I did-,"

"Grace and Luke understand the power of forgiveness. They also understand the power of giving second chances," Collier explained. He hit a button on his key chain and a nearby sports car beeped.

"Angels have sports cars?" Dom asked.

"I have a good stock broker," Collier held the door for her. Once she climbed in, he shut the door and went to the other side to get in.

"Where are we going?" Dom questioned.

"There is a little…stipulation in the deal," Collier looked at her after he turned the car on.

"And that is?" Dom replied.

"Detective Girardi is looking to enlist your help," He explained as he pulled out onto the road.

"Enlist my help how?" Dom asked, enjoying the wind that was blowing her hair about as they drove. She let her hand float out the window in the breeze.

"He was to know everything you know about Ryan. After that he may want you to help lure Ryan into a trap, if possible," Collier explained.

"And detective Girardi told you all of this?" Dom asked.

"No," Collier shook his head. "Luke Girardi did. I have a meeting with Detective Girardi in the morning. You're coming with me."

Dominique just nodded. She was fully aware that she owed this much to Grace and Luke and their family after what she had done. She made a note to herself to apologize profusely and beg forgiveness, offering herself for whatever services they thought she could assist them with.

"Do angels like loud music?" Dom asked after an hour of driving in silence with only the sound of cars passing while they flew down the highway.

"I don't know, but I do," Collier stated. Dominique looked at him, trying to size him up. Collier noticed this from the corner of his eye. "I'm not an angel."

"Well, there's lots of words for angels," Dom said. "Are you one of them?"

"Not completely," Collier shook his head.

"But you're a messenger…from you know who?" Dom asked. She still felt skeptical.

"Well…yes…" He said. He glanced at her and then looked back at the road. "But angels, the way people think they exist aren't real."

"You're real," Dom countered.

"I'm have no wings," Collier argued. "I have sexual organs, I can reproduce. More importantly I was born. I came to life the same way you did."

"But you said you have to abide by rules, right? You can't pick and choose what you want to do. Doesn't that make you a full on servant, thus technically making you an angel?" Dom asked.

"I'm not an angel…just a messenger," He insisted. "I made a deal…I have to follow rules."

"What kind of deal?" Dominique was giving in to her curiosity.

"Can we talk about something else?" Collier asked. He wasn't sure why he'd given Dom this much information. He wasn't supposed to give this much away. Then again he wasn't supposed to get as attached to his 'charges,' as he called them, as he did. Dominique nodded. She reached out and turned the radio on, deciding that loud music could mask the awkwardness she'd caused for at least a little while.

* * *

By 10 pm, Joan had finally changed into her pajama pants and her spaghetti strapped top. Her lap and legs were under the covers as she sat with her back propped up by some pillows and the headboard. She had a notepad on her lap with her reading glasses on while tuning in and out of listening to the news. Adam came into the room from getting a shower. He pulled on a pair of boxers and found a t-shirt to throw on. 

"Do you think it's time to go back?" He asked as he grabbed the loose clothes on the floor and tossed them to the hamper before piling Mac and Gabe's run away toys on the bench at the foot of the bed.

"Hm? Go back where?" Joan asked distractedly a she finished writing a sentence before marking her places and putting the notepad, file and book on the end table.

Adam lifted the covers and sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard next to Joan as Joan placed her pencil and glassed on top of the pile she had just put on the nightstand.

"Arcadia," Adam said simply.

Joan turned her head to look at him, resting the side of her face down on her now drawn up knees. She thought about an answer for a minute. Adam watched the thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't know," She answered truthfully. "Do you?"

"It seems logical…" Adam replied. "We'd be closer to everyone…" He trailed off. Joan knew there was more to his thoughts than this.

"There's something else, too, isn't there?" She asked.

Adam nodded after a moment of deep thought. "It doesn't feel right anymore."

"What doesn't?" Joan continued. Adam sat up straight, crossing his legs under himself.

"Being so far away from there," He sighed. "I mean, I like it here. We work here. We have great friends and associates here. The kids are used to it," Adam shrugged. "It just feels like we're missing something…"

Joan nodded, lifting her head. "I know what you mean," She said.

"It just feels like we understood more there," He shrugged.

"Everyone else is there now too," Joan commented.

"Yeah, Gabe was right there, we are all alone now here," Adam said.

"I would like all of them to know each other better, the kids I mean," Joan spoke up. She and Adam gravitated towards each other after they shut the lights off, propping themselves up together to watch the end of the news.

"So what should we do then?" Adam finally asked.

Joan thought for a long moment. She turned her head and looked at Adam. "I think we should look into it. Maybe we can be there by the holidays…or the New Year. I know Grace and Luke moved quicker, but they had more reason to, didn't they?"

Adam kissed Joan. "If you want to be there by the New Year, then we'll do our best to make it by then."

Joan smiled and leaned in to kiss him again.

**

* * *

August 10th, 2015**

"So how bad was lunch alone in the office?" Luke asked Grace. Grace was sitting at her desk in the only completed office, her office. The designer and his two workers were finishing building and arranging the bookshelves and desks in the other offices.

"Not so bad since I got to chew in your ear for an hour," She replied as she shifted through applicant files, trying to decide whom to call next to schedule and interview.

"Oh but I just worship the rapid tearing and gnashing of your food as you masticate," Luke replied.

"Oh you know I love it when you use big words," Grace teased back, smirking to herself a she leaned over another file of papers. There was a knock at her door. "Hold on a second," She said to Luke before looking at the door that was just inches open. "Come on in," She called out.

"Lara, no, no, don't, no don't pull daddy's hair. No it's not funny, hey, no," Luke muttered, holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder while he sat with Lara in his lap, who was tugging gleefully at his hair while making up her own song. Grace tried not to laugh at what she was hearing.

Grace's face fell and her eyes widened slightly as she narrowed her eyes at the person standing just inside the office doorway, staring at her feet. Grace shook her head. "Uh, brain, I'm gonna have to call you back, okay?"

"Ow, ow, Lara!" Luke tried to detangle himself from Lara's grasp. "Okay. I'll be here until three. After that you have to get me on my cell phone until 4:30," He replied.

"Okay, that's fine," Grace told him, speaking softly, almost hiding the conversation from the person in the room.

"All right. Bye Grace, I love you," Luke said as Damage came in to lick some dried Oreo cookie off of Lara's face.

"Yeah, you too. See you tonight," Grace said quickly. She hung up the phone and looked across her desk at the woman standing there. The woman wore a grey power suit. She looked very prim and proper. Her long black hair was massed on the back of her head in a messy bun with some bangs hanging down and framing her face. She wore large sunglasses that covered well more that the size of her eyes. It had taken Grace a moment, but she had recognized this woman more easily than she every thought she would if she'd ever encountered her again.

"It's been a long time Becky…" Grace said slowly, feeling cautious as she crossed her right leg over her left and folded her hands in her lap.

"Grace…" Becky cleared her throat.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Grace said after Becky didn't move much.

Becky inched forward. She sat down perfectly in the seat across from Grace, crossed her legs and put her purse on the floor next to the chair. "Do you want some water?" Grace offered diplomatically. Becky shook her head no. Grace studied her for a moment. "Sorry for the mess, the office isn't totally set up ay the moment," Grace excused. Becky offered a slight nod. "Okay, are we going to sit in silence awkwardly or do you want to give me the rundown of what brings you here?" Grace finally asked.

Becky offered a muttered response and Grace saw her cheeks around the bottoms of her sunglasses flush.

"I didn't quite catch that," Grace replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I need your help…" Becky said slowly. Grace couldn't tell if Becky was looking at the ground or at her because of the glasses.

She nodded slowly at Becky. "With what, exactly?"

Becky cleared her throat. "My husband..."

Grace tried not to roll her eyes. She put her pen down and leaned forward. "Look, Becky. I need you to be specific and tell me what's going on. I haven't spoke to you since we were eleven and now you've taken the time to seek me out for some kind of help but you're going to make me drag it out of you?" Grace stood. "I have interviews to schedule, so if you're through wasting my time for kicks, I'll show you out-," Grace stopped dead when Becky removed her sunglasses and looked up at Grace timidly. Becky's hazel eyes were worn. Her right eye was bloodshot. Her left eye looked almost like it had a cataract in it. It was cloudy and glazed over. Around her eye were dark red scars that trailed half way down her cheek. One of them indented up through her eyebrow.

Grace felt her mouth hanging open as she stared at Becky, confused and distraught now. "What happened to you?" She spoke in a whisper, lowering herself back into her chair slowly.

"He drinks…all the time. It's the worst when he gets his check," Becky spoke softly, averting her eyes to her folded hands. "He's such a wonderful person when he's sober though," Becky defended.

Grace had seen people like this before, but having known Becky if only when she was younger, made it twice as hard to listen to. "Have you tried to leave him?" Grace asked. She reached out for a clean legal pad and a pen.

Becky fidgeted in her spot. "Twice," She said slowly. She pointed to her injured eye. "This happened the second time...w-when he found me." she cleared her through again. "He came afte me with a steak knife."

"What made you go back?" Grace continued, trying to quell the emotions welling inside of her. Half of Grace wanted to point out the irony in the situation; Becky had stopped talking to Grace because Grace's mom was an alcoholic after all. The other half of Grace wanted to shake Becky and tell her to forget all her possessions and sneak out of the house with only what she absolutely needed and never look back.

Becky reached into her bag and unfolded a wallet. Grace was going to ask what she was doing but refrained and just watched. Becky pulled out the clear plastic piece that people usually put pictures in and held it out to Grace. Grace reached a hand out and took it. he looked down and came face to face with a photo of two boys. One looked to be about or close to Caleb's age and the other looked like he was maybe Gabe's age, if that. Both looked spectacularly like Becky, except for their eyes.

"The bigger one is Derek…the little one is Dylan," She said slowly revealing a dishearteningly sad smile. "Christopher, m-my husband, he didn't start drinking until after Dylan was born…after we ran into some money troubles," Becky nodded. She spotted a picture frame on Grace's desk and timidly reached for it. "Oh boy, I never pictured you wanting to have kids…" Becky's right eye filled up at the picture. Helen had taken it during their trip to Lake St. Catherine. It was a shot of Luke and Grace, sitting together on the porch steps of the house they'd stayed in with Lara and Brynn in their laps. Luke and Lara smiled broadly at the camera. Grace was smiling down at Brynn in her arms was the baby lay there with her little fists outstretched, staring intently at her mother.

Grace looked up. She blushed slightly and reached out to give Becky back her pictures. Becky put the picture frame back in its spot.

"I'm sorry, I have no right to-," She began to apologize.

"Does he hit your children?" Grace interrupted Becky.

Becky looked at Grace in shock. She looked down shamefully. "Usually he's too worked up after he comes after me, to find them in their hiding spots…"

"How many times has he found them?" Grace continued professionally, ignoring the fact that Becky was tearing up. Grace still felt mixed about all of this. She needed facts so that she could figure out how to help Becky, if for no other reason then to protect her children.

"Three…" Becky breathed.

"Were they taken to the hospital? Did you ever file any reports against him?" Grace fired the questions off.

"Yes. And yes…two," She replied.

Grace nodded. She gave the legal pad to Becky. "I need all of your contact information, your husband's full name, his work contact information, and the contact information for Derek and Dylan's school," She told Becky. Becky started writing the information down.

* * *

"Hello Collier, thank you for coming in. I'm sorry I had to reschedule from last week, we got a little busy on a case. What can I do for you?" Will asked as he walked around from his desk and greeted the man he knew as a colleague of Grace's and a friend of Joan, Grace, Luke and Adam. 

"Actually, I brought someone to help you. I know you have a personal stake in the search for Ryan Hunter, so I wanted to bring this to you before anyone else," Collier replied.

Will nodded, "I'm all ears," He assured.

Collier nodded, he left the office and returned moments later. "Detetcive Girardi, you remember Dominique Diordus?" Collier re-introduced them. Dominique stared at the floor nervously.

"Yes, I do," Will nodded. He eyed the girl suspiciously as he held his hand out to her.

Dominique shook his hand and met his eyes.

"Dominique would like to help you catch Ryan in anyway she can. Isn't that right Dom?" Collier asked.

Dominique nodded. "Y…yes," She agreed.

Will nodded. "Okay then, why don't both of you have a seat and we'll discuss what you can do to help?" He asked. Collier ad Dominique took seats and Will sat behind his desk as they started discussing Ryan.

Nearly two hours later a phone call interrupted the information sessions Will was having with Collier and Dominique. Collier was trying his best to remain silent and not give things away. He was letting Dominique do all the talking. Will was recording the entire thing and taking notes.

"Girardi?" Will answered the phone after apologizing to Dominique and Collier.

"This is Agent Peters calling from New York, I worked with your son," The man on the other line greeted Will.

"Right, right, hello, I remember who you are," Will replied.

"I'm afraid I have some news for you and you're not going to like it," Peters said.

Will sighed. "Just give it to me," He said.

"It looks like Hunter's headed your way," Agent Peters replied.

Will sat up straighter. "How long do we have?" he asked.

"He's in Memphis right now. He's been avoiding the airports. If he doesn't take a flight, I'm saying two days, maximum," Peters said.

"Thank you Agent Peters," Will hung the phone up without listening for a response. "Can you both meet me here at 8 am tomorrow?" Will asked, standing up the usher Dominique and Collier out. They both agreed and left. Will set about making phone calls and passing information on. Let the little bastard come back to my town, Will thought.

* * *

"I'm back," Adam said as he kicked the door shut with his foot, cradling grocery bags in both arms. He careened into the kitchen and leaned in, exchanging a kiss with Joan, who had just finished cleaning the dinner dishes. Adam had indeed promised to be back before she was done. He looked around at the wall when he heard some loud bangs and yelling. "What's going on?" He asked as he set the bags down and scooped Mac out of her high chair and to his hip. 

Joan sighed and rolled her eyes. "The new neighbors are at it again," She replied.

"What's it about this time?" Adam asked as Joan started putting the groceries away.

"Jewelry, Jelly and dirty clothes," Joan replied. "At least that's what I could gather from what I heard. Mosly it's muffled yelling and things breaking against the wall."

Adam offered a frowning smirk. "I'll go and give them their baths," He told Joan. Joan nodded. Adam cast one last glance in her direction before heading up the hall, calling out for Gabe. Since they had talked about moving back to Arcadia, Joan had been acting off. She seemed to roll her eyes whenever she walked through the hall back towards their apartment and at dinner she had gone on a long rant to Adam about how rude most of the people in this city seemed to be.

Joan was just finishing clearing out the old, unusable food in the fridge and putting the new groceries inside when Gabe came skidding to a stop in front of her. Adam had called after him. He had just gotten out of the bath and had wriggled free from Adam and took off. He was dripping on the floor now.

"Gabe!" Joan shouted, covering her face with her hands to try not to scream at him. She had just spent nearly 45 minutes rearranging the fridge while listening to the couple next door scream at each other and through things into the wall.

When she pulled her hands away and looked down, Gabe was standing in the same spot, staring up at her with wide eyes while still dripping. His body shivered some, now that he's stopped moving and cooled off. His wavy dark hair hung into his face and was scraggly. Joan frowned at the look on his face.

"Mommy I'm sorry…" Gabe said. His bottom lip stuck out as he frowned. His eyes almost shook as they filled and became watery.

Joan crouched down and opened her arms. "It's all right, I'm not mad at you. Come here," She assured him. Gabe timidly took a step forward. He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her neck and shoulder. Joan wrapped him up in her arms and stood up. Adam had noticed that she had Gabe and had taken Mac to dry off and change her. Joan walked to the bathroom and got a dry towel. She managed to wrap it around Gabe and she took him into his room.

"I'm sorry baby, mommy's not mad at you," She assured, sitting down on his bed with him in her lap. She rubbed his back and brushed his hair out of his face before placing a kiss into his still wet locks.

"What's wrong mommy?" Gabe asked her. Adam stood just outside in the hallway, with his back against the wall, listening.

"It's nothing important, sweetie," Joan assured. "What do you say we get you into some jammys?" Gabe nodded emphatically. "Which ones should we wear tonight?" Joan asked enthusiastically, glad to change the topic so easily. She sat Gabe down on the bed, pulling the extra cloth of the large towel over his head like a hood.

"I want batman!" Gabe giggled.

"Batman it is," Joan said in a singsong voice as she opened Gabe's bottom bureau drawer and found the pajama shorts and T-shirt. She grabbed a pair of underwear for him and turned around. "Dry that hair silly, who do you think you are, batman?" Joan used a hand to rub the towel on Gabe's head. He giggled and tried to pull away.

"Mommy?" Gabe asked as Joan watched Gabe try to put his own clothes on, only helping him when he really needed it, like when he tried to stick his head through the sleeve hole.

"Yeah?" Joan replied, grabbing his brush unknotting his half dried hair and brushing it back.

"Why are you sad?" Gabe asked.

Joan stopped brushing his hair and looked at him. "What makes you think I'm sad?"

"Cause you act grumpy when no one watches," Gabe replied. Outside the door, Adam frowned.

"Well, if no one's watching, how do you know?" Joan tried to tickle him to get his mind off of it. Gabe giggled and tried to breakaway. Finally Joan stopped. She pulled back his covers. "Come on, in you go," She said. Gabe wiggled his way under the covers and Joan tucked him in.

"Is it cause Gigi and Uncle Luke are gone?" Gabe asked.

"I'm not sad, Gabe, look, see, I'm smiling," Joan pointed to her lips as she smiled at him.

"Not in your eyes mommy," Gabe told her. Adam's shoulders hitched with a silent chuckle, impressed by Gabe's intuition.

Joan frowned. She reached out and ran her hand over the side of Gabe's cheek, pushing his hair back. She leaned down and kissed him on his forehead. "Don't you worry about a thing, okay?"

Gabe seemed to consider this for a moment. "Will you get better?" Gabe asked as if sadness were an illness.

Joan offered a small smile and nodded. "I promise," she assured.

"Okay mommy," Gabe responded.

"Sweet dreams," Joan said quietly as Gabe's eyes started to droop. He just nodded. Joan reached up and turned the lamp on his side table off as he closed his eyes. Joan dropped one more kiss on his forehead before she stood and walked out the door, quietly pulling the door shut behind her. She almost jumped out of her skin when Adam was standing there. She looked at him sadly.

"He's right you know," Adam told her. Even though Joan had only been acting this way for a little over a week; a little over a week was too long. Joan looked down guiltily. Adam reached out and took her hand.

"Let's talk," He suggested, leading her back towards their room.

* * *

"Hi Aunt Grace!" Katie cheered when Grace entered her house. It was almost 6pm. She had called to tell Luke she was going to be late. 

"Hey Katie," Grace accepted Katie's hug. "Where is everyone?"

"Outback! But I had to pee, so I came in! Come on," Katie grabbed Grace's hand and start running. Grace managed, just barely to put her briefcase down before Katie tugged her out the back door. Once on the wooden deck that extended off the house, Katie let go of her hand and took off running down the wooden ramp and back to the swing set and slide where Caleb was already swinging. Lily was in the sandbox with Justin and Lara.

"Hey," Luke smiled broadly.

Grace looked around. Helen was sitting nearby with a glass of wine on the table in front of her and Brynn asleep on her shoulder. She was rubbing the baby's back slowly. She smiled at Grace to say hello and Grace nodded back to her. Kevin was sitting a little ways away from Helen around the deck table.

"Impromptu party? And here I wasn't invited," Grace said as she took a free chair that was near Luke.

"Impromptu yes. We only got here like 20 minutes ago," Kevin told her.

Grace nodded. "And we're celebrating…?"

"Kevin, why don't we give Luke and Grace a little bit of space so they can talk in private?" Helen suggested. She stood up and walked down towards the sandbox, swaying with Brynn as she went. Kevin gave a mock salute and followed.

"I hope you're hungry, Kev ordered a lot of pizza," Luke told her.

"Let me guess, extra garlic?" Grace asked.

Luke nodded. "Of course. So how was your day? Lots of interviews?"

"Uh…no actually. Just one," Grace said as she watched the kids playing.

"Must have been a good one to last all day and make you late," Luke suggested. "New client?" He guessed.

Grace nodded. She turned her head and looked at him. "You'll never guess who it is," she challenged.

"Gavin Price," Luke said.

Grace laughed at him. "Why would you guess that?"

Luke shrugged. "Because of the great cosmic irony inherent in it."

Grace shook her head. "Becky Coogan," She said simply.

Luke racked his brain for a long moment, trying to figure out if he knew that name. Soon his face dawned a faint look of recognition. "The girl who stopped talking to you?" He asked, recalling the day Grace had told him the story while they hung up election posters.

Grace nodded. "It was strange. But, stop stalling. What's going on? Why's everyone here…I mean not that I mind. And where's your dad?"

"I called them to come celebrate. Dad's still at work. Your Dad said he would come but was too busy," Luke explained.

Grace absorbed this before asking, "And what are we celebrating. Luke…are you pregnant again? Because I'm totally not the father this time."

Luke smiled and chuckled. "No, you're safe this time," He teased back. "We're celebrating that I'm finally done showcasing my formula. And we've got a lump sum check for it, and that's not including the fact that I own the patent, so when they start using this in the scripts of those cop shows and movies, and mention it in anything, we get paid then too."

"That's excellent!" Grace stared at him, smiling proudly and waiting for him to continue. "And? Come on! Are you going to tell me how much or what?" The curiosity was killing her.

"Sure you want to know? Mom almost fainted when I told her," Luke prolonged the agony.

"Come on geek, don't toy with me!" Grace tried not to laugh as she playfully smacked his arm.

Luke caught her hand and laid a kiss on the back of it, before leaning closer to her. "48.9…after taxes," Luke supplied.

"48.9 what?" Grace asked, unsure if what she was thinking could possibly be the right answer.

"Million," Luke spoke up, smiling when Grace's eyes became large saucers of shock.

"Shut up, that's not funny," Grace smacked his arm again, speaking low in disbelief.

"I know it's not," Luke replied. "But it's true."

Grace leaned over and hugged Luke, granting him a nice, long kiss. "Congratulations," She smiled, "Very proud of ya brain."

Luke just smiled back at her. Through the house they heard the doorbell. "I'll get it, it's probably the pizza," He said before detangling himself from Grace and heading into the house. Grace headed in behind him to get plates, napkins and sodas. Just as she was loading them up on a tray, the phone rang.

"Yeah?" She replied when she pushed the on button and stuck the phone between her shoulder and ear.

"Tell your husband that it is not funny to leave messages like that on our answering machine!" Joan replied.

Grace laughed. "What did he do?"

"He-," Joan lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. "He left a message saying that crazy light up liquid got him a check from the government garnering 48.9 million dollars! You can't leave messages like that on a machine! They give people heart attacks!"

"If it makes you feel better female Rove, I just had the same experience, only not over an answering machine," Grace confessed.

"Wait a minute, he told that joke to you? Is he still alive?" Joan asked.

Grace chuckled. "It's true, dude. Your mom and brother are here to celebrate with pizza."

"Wait…wait…back up…it's true?" Joan asked.

"Fraid so," Grace replied.

"True, as in, it's in a bank account…with both of your names on it?" Joan asked again.

"As in patented, sold, and raking in the dough," Grace replied, amused that Joan couldn't grasp this fully. "Still there?"

"Yeah…yeah…" Joan said slowly. "This is so…"

"Surreal?" Grace supplied.

"Yeah," Joan said.

"Pizza's here," Luke said a he entered the kitchen with three boxes. Grace nodded for him to head on out. Luke went out the back door.

"Too bad you can't celebrate with us," Grace said almost sadly.

Joan snorted, thinking she'd misheard Grace.

"Oh fine, laugh at me, next time I won't be so forthcoming with my thoughts!" Grace retorted.

"Grace! I'm sorry!" Joan replied quickly.

"No, no, too late now," Grace said. "Goodnight Rove, I'm going to enjoy my pizza!"

"Grace, wait-," Joan tried but Grace had hung up. Joan laughed at the phone in her hand.

Grace smiled as she set the phone back in its holder and carried the tray outside, putting it on the table next to the pizza. It was now Damage's turn to say hello, having come running up the deck from playing with the kids to drool all over everyone's legs as he begged for food.

Grace looked around, amused as everyone ate and talked about random things like Caleb timing for his swimming, or stories from Helen's art class and how she missed students like Adam, or how Kevin's therapy was going now that he had graduated to moving his left leg completely from the hip down and his right leg from the knee down. After all the years of working to get his movement back, he was getting closer everyday. Grace thought it was an accomplishment for him to have been able to stand, even if it was with two canes, for the entire ceremony of Luke and Grace's wedding. It was strange, as well, to accept a ug from Luke's older brother when he was taller than her, instead of shorter while sitting in the chair.

At least they all knew it was one day possible, since the feeling was there in his legs. It was an interesting sight to see when Kevin smiled excitedly each time Katie or Justin sat in his lap and one of his legs fell asleep.

"Aunt Grace?" Caleb broke Grace's thoughts.

"Yeah?" Grace asked, turning her attention to Caleb.

"Will you and Uncle Luke come to my swim meets this year, now that you live close?" Caleb asked.

Grace glanced at Luke and then back to Caleb. "Uh, yeah, sure we will," She replied.

"Wouldn't miss it," Luke nodded when Caleb looked at him. Caleb smiled broadly and dug into another slice of pizza.

"There you are! So what's the big news?" Will asked as he stepped onto the back deck. He was greeted easily by everyone around their full mouths as he reached for a slice of pizza.

"You probably shouldn't be chewing something when I tell you this, Dad," Luke replied.

"I think I can handle it," Will smiled, biting into the pizza hungrily.

"Okay…" Luke said as everyone looked on, waiting for Will's reaction.

**

* * *

A/N : And so chapter 6 rolls on. I know there was nothing truly Earth-shattering like you know when Ryan attacked, in this chapter but come on, we need filler in between that, don't you think? **

**Chapter title is from "If I Had $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies. I had trouble trying to pick a title for this one…**

**Responses: sayxanything – **Thanks, yo! That is kind of freaky when someone in a story reminds you of someone you know. Lol, That Quaker part was supposed to send you into laughter! Hey, hey, I'm busy too! Besides, a little torture is good…sometimes. School's not so bad, really! No need to thank me! I'll post the one shot after I'm finished this story. If I'm feeling nice, I'll e-mail it to you in advance, ha! Much love!

**Michelle – **Thanks for the long e-mail! I haven't gotten a chance to give my donation yet, I promise I get to it by tomorrow. I'm glad you got to enjoy this after work, ha! Much love!

**EBFR – **Thank you! No problem on the slow reading and reviewing, I understand about school. I'll keep it up as long as I can! Thanks again for the kudos, much love!

**Sam – **Ha, that's right, it was a holiday gift! Thanks on the rockage. I didn't deal a lot with the dream stuff in this chapter, but it's going to intensify soon. For good reason too. Thanks again! Much love!

**Hezziebob – **Thanks for rockage! You're right, something huge is going to happen. Hahaha, I did set it up so a lot of scenarios were possible, didn't I? It's so my options are always open! Aw, I brought JoA back from the dead for you, that's sweet! I'm sorry if you lost your sanity while I took a few days to update ha! Much love!

**Kool-Wolf – **Holy freakin' crap! I will not die! Eh…maybe I will write another, maybe not. Well, technically I _could_ just stop writing. Yeah, it would be mean to everyone though. Whoa, whoa, whoa, ending? Hahahaha, did you think this story was over already? Aw, no wonder you freaked. I'm sure there's another brat out there somewhere, someway that will hate your punk ways just as much as I my foe! Thanks for the bit about my friends' families. Hate ya back! Violence to you!

**Tiffany – **What do you mean I can't cliffhanger you? I can too! I'm just choosing carefully where I want to end each chapter! So ha! Nah, I don't think Ryan knows about the paper boats. So what's the deal, I'm waiting for the turmoil of your next story dude! Much love!

**Carol – **I knew someone was going to ask about Anneliese. I can't answer that though without major spoilers. I almost made myself cry when I wrote the part with the violin, heh. I loved the poem. I was a little sad when they didn't read the last paragraph out loud in the episode. It took a lot of painstaking pausing to be able to read it clearly on my DVD! Thanks again for the kudos, much love!

**Butterfly Dancing – **Nice update dude! Thanks for the kudos. You are #2 asking about Anneliese. I unfortunately, can't answer that without major spoilers. ) Sorry! Much love!

**Coveredinrain16 – **HELLO! I love CBG too! I enjoy Grace and Adam scenes too. You've never seen L&G like that as much in my stories. Mostly they've been good together because at the point they're at in my stories they've already gone through a lot. In the series though I thought they were pretty rocky, mostly because Grace was having trouble breaking walls down. Thanks again for the kudos! Much love back! P.S. – It's only as boring as you make it my friend!

**A/N: Thanks to all reviewers and readers. Like I said, read each other's stories and review to! Spread the love! Thanks again! Let me know what you think! **


	7. I've Come To Bring You Hell

**Rating:** T-M as always just in case.  
**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.  
**A/N:** Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)

**

* * *

Chapter 7 – I've Come To Bring You Hell**

**August 11th, 2015**

There were two lights casting shadows into Luke and Grace's room. One source of light was the moon. It danced in rectangles of pale blue on the wall by the closet and along the hardwood floor. The other light came from the clock sitting on the nightstand across the bed on Luke's side. It's green glow reflected the numbers _3:52_. Grace nuzzled herself closer against Luke. She could never figure out why his skin always felt warmer than her own. Grace felt herself sigh. She was tired but she couldn't fall asleep and she wasn't sure why. Luke had only fallen asleep an hour ago, but that was partially due to Luke and Grace's extra curricular activity since their visitors had easily tired out both Lara and Brynn during dinner.

Grace smiled to herself when she realized that her hand was absently drawing invisible circles around Luke's stomach. _Guess old habits do die hard, _she mused to herself as she rested her chin against Luke's collarbone and turned her eyes upwards to study his face. Luke's head was tilted to the side and aimed down towards her as he slept. Grace was positive that Luke's left arm, which was under her and curled around her, was totally asleep. Grace felt her eyes roaming over Luke's face. She wasn't memorizing. No, that had been done before; come to think of it, long before they'd even started dating. Of course, as the years wore on, she memorized every new and old detail more completely.

Out of the corner of her eye, Grace saw the clock change to 4am. She frowned slightly and sighed. Why couldn't she just fall asleep? At this point it didn't matter. She would be up in two, three hours at the absolute most when the girls woke up. Grace shivered as the wind made the curtains dance as moonlit shadows on the wall. She reached down and took a hold of the top of their bed covers, which were resting at the small of her back and along Luke's hips.

She moved slowly and pulled them up easily to her shoulders, doing her best not to wake Luke. He shifted in his sleep, but didn't wake. Grace gave one last attempt to place herself closer into Luke's slumbering embrace. She turned her head to its side again and left her head against Luke's shoulder and collarbone. She resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't going to be able to fall asleep. Now though, it was a little clearer why she couldn't.

Grace found herself lying there next to Luke, thinking about her life. Before she knew his family, after she knew his family. She knew everyone was bound to change through out their whole life; everyone does. None of the four of them were the same as they were in high school after all. Grace was actually glad about that fact, at least for herself. She didn't want to be the person she was throughout most of high school.

Well, certain parts of her could have used mending; of course, Luke had been the catalyst to sealing those wounds shut thus changing Grace's life forever. Admittedly Joan and even Adam had helped. Grace inhaled deeply, feeling more at ease even as the darkness began to wane slowly. The dark nothingness of night was slowly fading into a brighter version blue as the sun prepared to wake up the world of Arcadia.

Grace was just at the point where her heavy eyelids were taking over, sinking down towards her cheeks to close and envelope her in sleep, when a noise startled her. Grace squinted her eyes wondering for a brief moment, where the murmuring grunt of pain had come from. She realized, a second later, that it had come from Luke. Luke squirmed slightly, turning his head and clawing at the pillow under his head with his free hand. A strangled half-sob, half-whimper of despair came through his clench jaw and tensed face.

Grace frowned. No matter what they'd tried, nothing had quelled the nightmarish images from invading Luke's slumbering mind. Under his closed eyelids, Grace could see his eyes darting rapidly back and forth. His shoulders hunched and his head twitched as another heart wrenching murmur filled the room.

Grace moved carefully. Startling him awake only made things worse, they'd discovered. She moved until she could place her mouth near his ear, using her left hand to hold his head still by gently stroking the side of his face into his hair.

"It's not real, Luke," Grace said quietly into his ear. She had pretty much only interchanged his name with the nickname of either brain or geek sparsely now, in an attempt not to confuse their younger nieces and nephews. She'd gotten used to just using his name. "It's just a dream," She said as he twitched slightly and murmured again. Grace did he best to wipe the beads of sweat off of his forehead. "C'mon, Luke, you've gotta wake up now," She said calmly.

Luke squirmed. Grace was pretty sure she heard the word 'no' among Luke's feeble murmurs. He made a move to roll to his side but was left on his back because at this point, with the way Grace was leaning over him, her body blocked his shoulders from being able to turn. Grace felt Luke's arm tighten around her back as the skin of his forearm and the palm of his hand clutched at the bare skin of her back.

"Luke," Grace spoke softly again. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She just couldn't get used to seeing him so pained like this in his sleep. "Please wake up…" She was close to begging. The vulnerability of both of them was abundantly clear to Grace; in fact, to Grace, it was amplified by the bareness of their flesh as she lay there, perched over her husband, trying to coax him out of horrendous snooze in limbo.

When a few more minutes passed and Luke sunk further into his nightmare sweating more profusely and struggling harder to toss and turn, Grace did the only thing she could think of to disrupt Luke's nightmare. Giving Luke's shoulder a slight shake and she said his name a little more forcefully.

With a harsh yelp, Luke shot straight up into a sitting position so fast that Grace barely had time to move to the side without Luke's head slamming into hers. His shoulders heaved as he inhaled deeply, trying to get his ragged breath back into rhythm. Grace watched the sweat glistening off of his skin. The edges of his hair were damp from the salty liquid.

"Hey…" Grace's voice returned to its softer tone as she reached a timid hand out to the back of Luke's shoulder.

Luke flinched and tossing his head back as he clenched his eyes. Grace withdrew her hand swiftly, frowning. Luke bent his head back down slowly. His breathing slowed and he sighed. He cast his head sideways, staring at the covers over his lap and Grace's lap.

"I'm sorry…" His voice came out hoarse and parched. She could see the guilt he felt for being the reason she was awake in the middle of the night; of course that was because he hadn't known that she had been awake anyhow.

Grace knew it was safe now, so she slid herself so she was even next to him easily sliding her arms around Luke's shoulders. Luke sighed deeply as he let himself be pulled into Grace's embrace. He rested his head against the crux of the middle of her collarbones and listened to her heart thumping in her ribcage. Grace coddled him expertly, which Luke still found odd. Sure Grace had her sentimental moments, but in these moments the sheer tenderness that came shining through was something that Luke usually only witnessed from her on rare occasions; barring of course that she was particularly gentle and affectionate towards their kids and their nieces and nephews-and puppies.

"You know," Grace made sure her smirk was audible in her voice. "You just say the word and I'll do my best to take your mind off that nightmare…" She rested her chin against the back of is head.

Luke offered a slight snicker, which greatly eased Grace's mind. It was taking less and les time for Luke to recover from the night terrors. She wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing, but she was glad it was becoming a little easier.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," Luke finally spoke.

Grace dropped a kiss to the back of his head and let her hand run in the tufts of hair at the back of his neck and down along the damp skin of his back. "I wasn't sleeping," She confessed.

Luke lifted his head, just high enough to look at her; they were mere centimeters apart. "You were?" He asked. Grace nodded. Luke found himself smirking. "Look, I know I'm hot, but you can ogle me when I'm awake you know," He said.

"Please," Grace smirked and rolled her eyes, "It's much more fun plotting what I'm going to do to you when you're sleeping," Her voice came out thick and seductive as she whispered.

"Can I say the word now?" Luke asked as he slightly closed the gap between himself and Grace causing her to run her tongue across her bottom lip before lightly chewing at the corner of the inside of her lip as she smirked. It amused her how easily they became wide-awake even though they both knew deep down how exhausted they should have been. She closed the gap between their lips easily and pulled herself over top of Luke as he relaxed his body down against the mattress and pillows, pulling her close to him so that there were no gaps between their pressed bodies just as specks and tiny rays of early morning sun started to spill about the room.

* * *

"I'm glad," Ryan smiled at the girl in front of him, "That you came to meet with me. I didn't think you would want to after out last meeting," He smiled at her, taking the left side of her face in his right hand, feigning affection. 

The girl swallowed hard. "W-Why did you try and hurt them?" Her voice trembled.

He smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry darling…sometimes I just can't control myself." Ryan held his arms open, willing her to step into a hug. "I promise, I'll work harder on that," He said.

Slowly, as he encouraged her, she stepped into his embrace and placed her head sideways against his chest. She sniffled slightly. Ryan smiled to himself wistfully as he curled his arms around her and swayed just slightly. He was good at acting; acting was just lying.

"I have something I want you to do…" He spoke after a few minutes.

She looked up at him with frightened eyes as he smiled. She paused for a long moment before finally timidly responding. "What is it, Daddy?"

* * *

Grace felt awkward, walking through the walls of her old high school with and over stuffed black diaper bag over her left shoulder, a car seat hoisted to rest in the crook of her bent left elbow, with Brynn snoozing inside and Lara balanced on her right hip. Lara rested her head tiredly on Grace's shoulder, clutching at the ear of a floppy puppy that was dangling by her knee. Her other hand was curled with a thumb stuff into her mouth. 

Grace was almost there. She was on her way to meet Helen for lunch. Helen's summer art coarse was supposed to have just let out. It was strange to be back in this place voluntarily-and with her children no less. Grace shook her head, feeling inevitably weird.

"Excuse me miss," A voice stopped Grace in her tracks. _Good God, this is not happening,_ Grace thought to herself shaking her head slightly. Of course she would get caught in the hall a mere 6 feet from the art room. "But you can't come in here without a visitor's pass. And you most certainly cannot come in here to change your Children in the lavatories," He said. It was a comfort to know that some people didn't change, even if they were pompous assholes.

Smirking, Grace turned around and raised an eyebrow at Gavin Price. The shock on his face was thrilling for Grace. She noted with pleasure that after the years of student, Price's hair was speckled with gray hair. It even looked like it was thinning. Good, served him right.

"Miss Polk-,"

"It's Girardi, Price," Grace corrected, smiling.

"Well, it's certainly nice to see you've matured from your teenage revolutionary ways," Price put his hands behind his back, smiling. "I saw Luke on TV, must be relaxing to be a housewife?" He asked in his normal derogatory way.

Grace snorted. "It's a shame that you're always going to be a brown nosing lacky who thinks its cool to bully high school kids into thinking they aren't worthy of their dreams when really, who are you to give any kind of job advice?" She asked. "And, by the way, I've accomplished more in my life then you ever will," Grace turned to head into the classroom.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you off the premises," Price stopped her. "We cannot have unannounced visitors you see-,"

"Oh stuff it Gavin," Helen called out from inside the art room. Lara lifted her head off of Grace's shoulder at the sound of Helen's voice. "She's on the visitor's list for me anyway. Go check," Helen called out.

Grace turned her attention to Lara. "Want to go say hi to Nona?" She asked Lara, ignoring Gavin Price. Lara nodded emphatically. Grace bent her knees and lowered Lara to the ground. Lara bee-lined, in awkward steps, through the door. The class, which was just ending their session and cleaning up, spotted her and emitted a chorus of 'aw's. Grace cast one last smirk over her shoulder before entering the classroom.

Helen was just scooping Lara into her arms and planting a few kisses on the toddler's cheek. "Class, this is my granddaughter, Lara," Helen smiled.

"Hi Lara," Most of the class responded easily.

Lara bashfully buried her face into Helen's neck after taking in all the strangers. The class was filing out. Some of the girls stepped up to Helen to say hi to Lara and to gush about how cute they thought she was. Grace managed to step in next to Helen. Some of the girls asked about Brynn and gushed over her for a few seconds, now that she'd woken up because of the commotion. Once everyone had filed out, Helen grabbed her knapsack and purse with her free arm.

"Are we ready?" She asked.

"Double parked and ready to go," Grace said as they walked into the hallway and headed for the car. Grace was doubling as Helen's ride, since one of their cars was in the shop. It took less than fifteen minutes to find the café that Helen and Grace had decided to eat at.

* * *

They decided to sit at one of the outdoor tables since a cold front had moved through, leaving the temperatures in the mid 70s with no humidity. The Umbrella sticking of the middle of the table was good too. Grace sat Brynn's Car seat in the empty chair to her left and the waiter pulled a highchair over to Grace's right that they put Lara in while Grace and Helen sat across from each other. 

As they ate, they talked about random things. Grace told Helen about Becky for a while and Helen asked Grace if she knew how Joan was doing. Grace confessed that Joan was growing jaded of the New York City life and that Adam was worried. Lara chewed on banana pieces, teething cookies and mini finger raviolis, being sure to get as much as she could all over her cheeks, hands and bib. Grace managed to get half of a sandwich down before Brynn decided she was hungry. She situated Brynn into a better sitting position before she mixed up a small cup of oatmeal and started slowly feeding it to the baby.

"How's Luke been sleeping?" Helen asked, taking a sip of her tea. She tried to sound nonchalant, but Grace knew better. Helen picked up on this and added, "Joan mentioned that he wasn't sleeping well."

Grace glanced at Helen and then quickly back to Brynn. She inhaled slowly to give herself more time to think of how to answer this question. No doubt after Joan had 'mentioned' this to Helen, she had surely seen the dark circles under Grace's eyes today; of course, that wasn't entirely due to nightmares. Grace felt her cheeks flush just slightly at this thought. She cleared her throat as she used the little spoon to swipe some excess oatmeal off of Brynn's chin as she kicked energetically, ready for more.

"He's…getting better," She shrugged slightly, "a little."

"Does he tell you what they're about?" Helen pressed on.

Grace shook her head. "Not usually," She said as she unhooked Brynn from her car seat. Grace cleaned off the baby's face and settled the girl in her arms before finishing Brynn's meal off with a small bottle of formula. Lara was contentedly mashing her banana slices together while singing gibberish and occasionally, she stuffed her hand in her mouth to suck some of the mashed fruit off of her fingers.

"I think it's because of Ryan," Grace let her eyes glance up from Brynn to Helen. She shifted her gaze to Lara, who was consumed in playing with her food, and then looked back at Brynn. Helen seemed to be taking everything in.

"Naturally," Helen replied. "You had quite an ordeal within the past couple of months."

Grace pressed her lips tightly together as she put the empty bottle on the table and threw a towel over her shoulder before resting Brynn against the towel and patting her back as Brynn murmured and shuffled.

"Maybe," She was unsure how to approach this with Helen. Helen, Grace remembered, had had many dreams that had acted as warnings-that-came-just-too-late; like when the Church was vandalized and the Synagogue was burned. Grace had been pretty sure God had been behind those. She had wondered if maybe, Helen was aware of this fact; and f she was, maybe Helen could help Luke? Grace inhaled and looked at Helen again. Helen looked at Grace encouragingly, almost willing Grace to dispel everything to her. Grace decided that maybe, just maybe, Helen was the best person to talk to about this.

**

* * *

**"Let the girl go and we'll talk about this Hunter," Will suggested. He was standing, wearing only a bulletproof vest over his suit shirt and tie. He was aiming at Ryan Hunter's head, but couldn't get a clear shot because Ryan kept tugging his frightened hostage so that she was shielding him.

Will had recognized the girl before the voices in his earpiece had told him who it was. Her name was Bonnie. She had known his daughter; or maybe she knew Luke. Regardless, she had gone to school with his kids. Shortly after the Church vandalism and the Synagogue fire, Bonnie had suffered a nervous breakdown via a severe panic attack in the middle of the school hallway. After Ryan was arrested, Joan, Luke, Adam and Grace had dug deep enough in their pseudo-detective work to find out that Ryan had been terrorizing Bonnie for weeks before he'd 'saved' Adam in the woods.

Some years back, Bonnie had finally been declared 'sane' again. Under the custody of her parents, she had matriculated back into the world. She had been working in this coffee shop for two years now, while she went to school. As soon as she'd seen Ryan enter the establishment, she'd gone into the back room and placed a frantic 9-1-1 call.

Ryan smiled wickedly. His plan was working brilliantly. "Right," he said. "I let her go and I get shot. That's how it works isn't it?"

"This is not a movie, Hunter," Will said shortly. "That's a real life you have in your hands. We don't want anyone dead here today. That includes you," He assured. Truthfully, Will was begging for a reason to injure Ryan. He was willing to accept anyway to stop Ryan from slipping away again, even if it meant placing a bullet in Ryan's kneecaps or perhaps even a shoulder. This man had haunted his family long enough.

Bonnie was covered in nervous sweat in the heat of the coffee shop. Her salty sweat drops mixed with her tears as she held onto Ryan's taught forearm, which was across her neck. She tried to regulate her breathing. She didn't dare speak. She was both paralyzed by fear and under orders from Ryan not to speak. She tried not to utter any unnecessary sounds, uttering only involuntary whimpers. She clenched her eyes tightly.

"Oh spare me," Ryan snickered. "We both know you'd loved to take me out."

Will took a deep breath. "I won't lie. You have caused my family more grief then they deserve," He said cautiously. "But that doesn't mean I'm out to kill you, Hunter. I just want to talk."

"Then talk," Ryan suggested. Will was playing perfectly into the palm of his hand as he saw it.

"Why here?" Will began.

Ryan laughed heartily. "That's a laugh!" He laughed again. "We've been here before, haven't we, old buddy?" Ryan grinned, knowing he'd pushed a button. The last stand off he and Ryan had had, Ryan had held a gun to Helen's spine and threatened to give her a taste of Kevin's world.

Will tried not to twitch. "Don't be stupid, Hunter. I can help you," He offered.

Ryan just smiled. "You don't know it yet, buddy, but you already have," He grinned as he tossed Bonnie towards Will, leaving Will with the only option of lowering his gun to catch Bonnie. Ryan turned and ran into the back room, knowing there was an exit that way. Officers swarmed the building, nd shots rang out as Ryan made his escape.

* * *

"Adam! What a surprise!" Sadie smiled and greeted Adam with a hug as he entered her office. "To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?" 

Adam smiled sheepishly. "I just came to drop off those paintings and the sculpture you wanted," He informed her.

Sadie was about to reply when the door to her office burst open. Two big security men in dark suits entered. Between them, a petite, big-busted blonde entered. She looked like she was about to head down the runway for the MTV Video Music awards, complete with too much jewelry, an expensive designer hand bag, a large ugly hat with a feathery strip around the base of it before the brim started, and the biggest fake grin Adam had ever seen.

"Sadie! Darling!" The woman gushed, rushing to Sadie in tiny little gallop steps. She popped a foot in the air as she kissed the air next to Sadie's cheeks. Sadie looked alarmed, confused and shocked. "And who's this artsy little fox?" the woman turned her attention to Adam. She held out a hand, waiting for Adam, apparently, to gallantly kiss the back of it.

"Adam Rove, meet Kaya," Sadie shot Adam a strange look. "I'm sure you've seen her on TV?" She suggested.

"Uh, yeah," Adam nodded vaguely. He reached out and shook Kaya's hand, much to Kaya's dismay. Kaya, of course, was the world's current Britney Spears. Her songs were awful, and mostly men wanted to nail her and women wanted her plastic surgery.

"I've just been dying to meet you," Kaya gushed, batting her eyebrows. "I just love your work," She offere a bubbly giggle.

"Uhh…thank you," He said awkwardly. He looked at Sadie. "I should be going. The pieces are in their usual spot," He told her.

Sadie nodded. "Tell everyone I said hello," She smiled.

Kaya frowned. Adam turned and left the office before Kaya could speak again. Just as he was leaving the main lobby, Kaya's voice filled the air.

"Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo, Mr. Rove!" She called.

Adam sighed and turned to face the pop diva. "Yeah?" He asked as politely as possible. He vaguely heard the elevators in the hallway ding, signaling they were opening.

Joan stepped out of the elevator, pushing the stroller containing Mac in front of her. Gabe was at the side of the stroller, holding onto the handle as he walked next to Joan with a lollypop in his mouth. She stopped when the lobby was in her sight, at the scene in front of her. There in the lobby, was pop culture's 'It Girl,' pawing all over her husband. Joan strained her ears to hear what they were saying.

Kaya giggled madly. "So there's an award party after the show and I thought maybe-,"

"Look, you're like famous and all and that's cool," Adam couldn't think of anything intelligent to say. "But…I'm um, not really into all of the flashy…famous…um…stuff," He said.

A look of anger and determination crossed Kaya's face. Without warning, she grabbed Adam's head and pulled him down to her level, locking lips with him. She had pulled him so hard that he almost fell over. Adam felt like he was going to vomit, as he tasted the caked on make up she wore.

Outside the lobby, Joan's mouth fell open. She felt frozen to her spot. What the hell was going on at this gallery? Joan's mind reeled. Did this happen often? She watched as Adam tore himself away from Kaya, looking alarmed and confused. Joan was about to step forward, when Gabe did it for her.

"Hi daddy!" He'd finally noticed his dad and went running to him.

Adam turned around, still shell shocked, as Gabe attached himself to Adam. Kaya stared at the boy and then at Joan as Joan pushed the stroller into the lobby in front of her. Kaya smiled sweetly at the scowl on Joan's face.

"Does your nanny always bring your kids in to meet you at work?" Kaya asked, staring Joan down. Joan scowled but Adam spoke before Joan could retort.

"Actually, this is my wife, Joan. Joan, this is Kaya," Adam said, giving Joan a look of sheer gratitude for the interruption.

Joan and Kaya exchanged and awkward handshake.

"Oh…I see," Kaya gave Joan a once over. "You can obviously understand why I mistook you for a servant," She said.

"I'm surprised you're up and a bout," Joan didn't miss a beat as the two smiled wickedly at each other. "I mean, I read about your recent butt implant gone awry. I thought for sure your recovery time would take at least the whole summer," Joan quipped.

"Daddy, what's a butt implant?" Gabe asked as Kaya stared Joan down.

Adam looked from Kaya to Joan. "Right, well, nice to meet you, Kaya, but we're off to dinner. Goodbye," Adam ushered Joan and Gabe back into the hallway and hit the button for the elevator. "Well that was unnecessary," he commented as they waited for the elevator.

"Oh, so it's normal for you to hook up with silicon injected pop princesses when you come here?" Joan asked as they stepped into the elevator.

Adam looked at her incredulously. "You can't be serious," He said in his normally quiet tone. "You think I really wanted to kiss someone like _her_?"

"I saw-,"

"You saw her accost me," Adam protested as they left the elevator. He picked Gabe up as they go outside. "And it was disgusting," Adam cringed.

Joan looked at him while they waited for the light to change so they could cross the street. She sighed and looked down. Why did she always have to over-react? She lifted her head when she felt Adam place a kiss on her cheek.

"Did I tell you this morning that I love you?" He asked.

Joan nodded. "You do every morning," She said meekly.

Adam smiled. "And don't you forget it," He said. Joan offered a small smile, feeling stupid.

"Daddy?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah pal?" Adam turned his attention to Gabe as they walked along towards the restaurant they were going to have dinner at.

"What's silicon?"

Joan and Adam couldn't help it as they both started laughing while Gabe looked at them, confused.

* * *

Helen hadn't had a warning nightmare in nearly 9 years; that is, until tonight. Of course, as she slept, she wasn't aware that this was a warning. After discussing the dreams that Luke had told Grace about, Helen was apparently extra perceptive and open to some warnings of her own. 

Helen found herself at a picnic. It was in Grace and Luke's backyard. Helen stood off to the side in the yard watching. She looked around, smiling at all of them. But something wasn't right.

"Hello Helen," A voice said from beside her.

Helen started and then looked over. Standing next to her was a familiar figure; it was God. Well, it was Helen's 'dreamland' version of God, she thought. He stood still, with his hands in his pockets, looking in the same direction as Helen.

Helen looked at him suspiciously. "I'm not dead, am I?" She asked,

Cute Boy God offered a lopsided half smile, amused. "No," He shook his head. Helen accepted this with a nod. She turned her attention back to everyone in the yard. "Is something wrong?" God questioned.

Helen's forehead creased in worry. "Where's Gabe?" She asked.

"That's a good question, Helen," God replied. Helen looked at him but then shifted her gaze back to the backyard. "Keep yourself open to the clues."

"Clues? What clues? Clues about what?" Helen turned to look at him again, but he was gone. She looked back at her playing Grandchildren. Still, there was no Gabe.

"It doesn't make sense right now, Mrs. G,"

Helen looked over, startled to find Judith standing next to her. Judith looked on sadly at everyone in the backyard.

"Judith?" Helen asked, confused. "But you're-,"

"Dead? Yeah, I already went over this with JoJo a long time ago," She frowned. "I don't have much time though to explain." Judith spoke quickly. Helen followed Judith's line of sight and gasped when her eyes landed on Grace.

"What's going on?" Helen asked, wide-eyed.

Grace was sitting in a chair at the table on the deck. Everyone was oblivious. Grace was covered in cuts and gashes about her face and arms. She looked like she'd been dragged through some mud. Her hair was matted and had flecks of dried blood in it. Her eyes looked determined. Behind her, off to the side, stood Ryan. His arm was extended, a pistol in his hand. The tip of it was pressing against the back of Grace's head. Ryan cocked the hammer of the gun. Helen's breath hitched in her throat as Grace closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.

"She's going to be his savior," Judith said.

Helen looked at Judith. "What?"

Judith frowned slightly. She turned away from looking at Grace and Ryan, to look at Helen. "She's the only one who can bargain with Ryan," Judith said. "She's going to save his life."

"Who's?" Helen asked, staring at Grace. Grace opened her eyes. She stared back. When Judith didn't answer, Helen looked over; Judith was gone. Helen heard the loud bang of the gun going off. She saw nothing but darkness. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she realized she was awake, sitting up in bed. She breathed heavily, feeling the droplets of sweat on her forehead and down her back. She looked next to her and saw that Will was still asleep on his side.

Reaching a shaky hand out, Helen spoke as she shook Will's shoulder. "Will…Will, wake up…" She asked.

Will shook awake, slight dazed. "What's wrong?" He asked as he sat up, rubbing his face. He saw the distraught look on Helen's face and was paying full attention now. He's spent the evening calling and warning Kevin, Lilly, Luke, Grace, Joan and Adam about Ryan and what had happened in the afternoon. He felt as though he'd let them down again. He pulled Helen into his embrace and listened as she recounted her dream.

* * *

"Are you scared?" Luke asked Grace. They were lying farther apart than usual in their bed; mostly it was because they had Lara and Brynn lying in between them, asleep. After Will had told them about Ryan, they decided it would be all right for one night to leave the girls sleep in their bed. 

Grace looked down at the girls. She ran a hand over Lara's hair lightly, so she wouldn't wake the toddler. She nodded, knowing Luke was just as worried as she was. "I think we'll be all right," She said after a few minutes.

Luke pressed his lips together tightly in a slightly forced half smile. He nodded. "We will," He said, as if he was promising her.

**

* * *

August 24th, 2015**

"Will you two be all right walking alone today?" Melissa, Caleb and Katie's summer day camp counselor asked as Caleb pulled on his backpack and put Katie's over his right shoulder.

He nodded, reaching out and taking Katie's hand for when they started walking. "It only takes a couple of blocks," Caleb said. He was used to walking with Katie from camp to the daycare center, which was only 5 blocks away.

"Okay," Melissa said carefully. "No strangers, and no wandering anywhere else, right?"

Caleb nodded again. "Bye Melissa," He said. Katie waved goodbye as they headed to the sidewalk. Melissa waved and watched them until they were out of her view.

After walking only two blocks a girl who looked only a few years older than Caleb approached. Caleb tightened his grip on Katie's hand and steered her closer to himself s he walked. He made sure to keep an eye on the girl for a few more steps before the girl spoke.

"Hi," She smiled brightly. Caleb didn't respond at first and Katie was too busy looking at storefronts are they walked. "I'm Anneliese," She spoke up. She smiled when she saw a flicker of recognition on Caleb's face. Good, at least she knew someone had spoken about her. "I have a message for you," Anneliese continued.

Caleb kept walking. He wasn't sure what to do. He was sure he'd heard her name before but he didn't know her and he wasn't supposed to talk to people he didn't know. Besides, they were only a block and a half away from his mom now. She would know what to do.

"Ryan's going to come after your family soon," Anneliese spoke. She practically could see Caleb's ears perk up. He looked nervous. "He's planning it, the day before Labor Day. He's going to hurt Aunt Grace by hurting her daddy." Anneliese realized they were just about at the daycare center. They were a block away. Lily was outside, looking up the block and waiting for her children. Anneliese swiftly turned around and walked away.

"Hey, who were you talking to?" Lily asked as she crouched down and hugged them both. Katie shrugged and headed inside to play. Caleb looked upset. "What's wrong, honey?" She asked. Caleb started telling her what Anneliese had said. Lily's face fell at his words. She ushered him inside to call Will and Kevin right away.

**

* * *

August 28th, 2015**

"Well it's about time," Grace said as she walked down the front steps of the house. Joan and Adam had just pulled up into the driveway. Gabe was out of the car as soon as it stopped. Grace crouched down and prepared herself as he launched at her. He jumped so hard that Grace lost her balance and fell back into the grass laughing as Gabe latched onto her.

"Hey, give her some air, Gabe," Adam said as he approached with a bag over his shoulder and a suitcase in his hand. Gabe clambered up and off of grace.

"Sorry," He said sheepishly. Grace laughed as she sat up, leaning on her palms in the grass.

"That may have been the best hello I've gotten all summer," She told him with a wink. Gabe smiled broadly. Luke came outside to help carry their stuff in. He greeted Joan, who had Mac in her arms with a hug and placed a kiss on Mac's cheek. Adam left Grace and Gabe sitting in the grass where Gabe was babbling about the ride down, so that he could follow Luke in.

Grace looked up when Joan set a squirming Mac in the grass. Grace spread her legs apart and opened her arms for Mac to trot up to her. She hugged Mac to her and kissed her cheek as the girl giggled.

"Can I go play?" Gabe asked. He wanted nothing more than to swing on the swing and go down the slide now that he'd seen and talked to Grace.

Grace nodded. "Knock yourself out, kid," She smiled as he took off running.

"Don't run through the house!" Joan called after him. Grace stood, taking Mac with her. She and Joan walked through the house and outback. Lara was already in the sandbox. Brynn was napping on a blanket inside a playpen in the shaded part of the grassy yard. Grace set Mac down, and Mc went right for the sandbox to play too.

"Still feeling a little on the manic side?" Grace asked Joan as they sat on the deck.

Joan watched the kids playing. A guilty look crossed her face. "I can't wait to leave there. I don't even know why. I was fine before the summer," She shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find something while you're here," Grace suggested. "You'll be back by November, no problem. There's a place around the corner that just went up a week ago."

Joan inhaled deeply and nodded. That could be nice. It was be good to live close to Luke and Grace again. It felt weird for a moment to think that. Luke and Joan had always been opposites and fought like cats and dogs about stupid things. Joan and Kevin had been the two siblings that appeared to get along the most. Truly, Luke and Joan were closer. They were closer in age. They were bound closer because of Grace, something that Joan had found she was thankful for. Even though Joan hardly understood half of what Luke usually said, he was always thoughtful and protective, even after everyone had ignored him and forgotten about him; everyone but Grace at least.

Joan felt a half smile, half frown when she remembered what Luke had done, once he'd gotten the whole story of what Adam and Bonnie had done from Grace after leaving Mock Trial. He had gotten his first ever detention when he had thrown Adam up against a locker and almost gave him a concussion. He had succeeded in screaming a few nasty threats and expletives at Adam before it took Helen, Gavin Price, one of the security guards and Lischak to pull Luke off of Adam. The whole way to the Principal's office, Luke had tried to get free and go back after Adam as he yelled insults and threats and told Adam never to go near his sister again. He spent a week in detention. Afterwards, Joan had talked to him and calmed him down considerably. It took three months for Luke to be okay about Adam's plans to apologize and try to earn Joan's trust again.

It would also be nice because if they bought a house around the corner from Luke and Grace they'd been within ten blocks of Joan's parents in one direction and within 8 blocks of Kevin and Lilly in the other.

"Do you know anything about the house?" Joan asked. Grace launched into the info he and Luke had gotten about the house.

**

* * *

September 7th, 2015 – Labor Day**

By the time Labor Day had come, there was no sign of Ryan or Anneliese, who had been reported missing by her foster mother. Joan and Adam had looked at a dozen houses in the area. They had finally looked at the house around the corner from Grace and Luke and they decided it was perfect. They also discovered that the house's backyard was directly on the other side of Grace and Luke's house.

All they would have to do to make the houses accessible to each other would be to tear down the ugly rotting wooden fence that Grace and Luke hadn't decided what to do with yet. Then they could share backyards. All of this had put Joan in a good mood. Adam had been relieved when she's been smiling more often and laughing as she and Grace picked on Luke, who tried to defend himself but just wound up laughing all the same.

As predicted by Anneliese, nothing happened to the Rabbi the day before Labor Day. Will wondered if that meant that Ryan knew that Anneliese had tipped Caleb off. Now, it was Labor Day. Will and Helen prepared to go to Grace and Luke's. They had been using Grace and Luke's house for picnics a lot lately, mostly because of the space and the sandbox and swing set that easily kept the kids occupied. Helen was downstairs n the kitchen pulling a bowl of potato salad, a bowl of macaroni salad and a bowl of her infamous summer salad out of the fridge, waiting for Will to finish getting ready.

Will was jut finishing pulling his shirt over his head when a thought struck him. What if Ryan had simply postponed his attack, in the hopes of throwing Will off his trail? Quickly, Will hooked his gun to his side and grabbed his phone and his keys. He went downstairs.

"What's going on?" Helen asked. Since the night of her dream, she hadn't had another.

"Go on over. There's something I have to take care of before-,"

"Will," Helen interrupted. He always found a reason to get called away on holidays.

Will put his hand on her shoulders. "I promise I won't be long. I think I may have overlooked something and I need to take care of it right away," He explained.

Helen sighed. "Go," She granted him permission.

Will smiled and kissed her. "I love you," He said before heading for the door.

Helen sighed to herself as she piled the salads up and headed outside to her own car.

On his way to Grace's old house, Will called in for some squad cars to accompany him. When he reached the house, the cars were already there, blocking off the street with their lights whirling. Will drew his gun and had 3 of the officers follow him to the door. He knocked on it and waited.

When the Rabbi answered, he almost had a heart attack with four people aiming guns at him. He put his hands up in defense. "What's going on?" He asked, clearly confused.

Will relaxed, causing the others to follow suit. "Rabbi," He said, relieved, "We thought maybe Ryan was bluffing and trying to throw us off."

"Oh. Well, no one's been here but me," He said. "I was just preparing to go to Gracie's."

Will nodded, holstering his gun. He turned to the officers. "All clear. Pack it up and head back to the station."

Some of the officers grumbled as they went. Will offered the Rabbi a ride, and the Rabbi accepted.

* * *

"Mommy, Katie kicked the ball into the front yard, can I go get it?" Gabe asked Joan. 

"As long as you don't go in the street, yes." Joan nodded.

"Thanks mommy!" Gabe trotted off.

Grace felt herself zoning out of the conversation she was having with Glynis and Sweet Lou as she watched Gabe disappear around the side of the house. A feeling she vaguely recognized as alarm was tugging at the back of her mind.

"Are you okay, Grace?" Glynis asked when Lou went to stop Sephie-short for Persephone- their daughter from fighting with Justin over a bucket in the sandbox. Joan looked up when she heard the question and glanced at Grace.

"Where's Gabe?" Helen gravitated towards the conversation.

Grace and Joan's gazes locked. They both had no idea what it was, but at the same moment they both leapt from their chairs and ran for the side of the house in the direction Gabe had gone.

"What's going on?" Adam and Luke asked as they came form the kitchen to the deck. Glynis shrugged.

* * *

Will parked at the end of the block. He and the Rabbi were just starting up the walkway of the house when they heard screaming. 

"LET ME GO!" The little voice bellowed.

Will looked at the driveway and saw a black van double-parked in the street. A tall, lanky figure, easily recognizable as approaching the side door of the van, trying to stuff the boy into it. Will had already drawn his gun, recognizing the voice as Gabe's.

"Put him own Hunter!" Will bellowed as Joan and Grace rounded the house. The Rabbi turned and headed for them, in an attempt to stop them from interfering now that a gun was involved. Joan let out a shriek of fear for Gabe as Hunter used him as a shield from Will.

"What're you going to do now, boss?" Hunter snickered.

"He's not part of this and you know it Hunter!" Will tried to remain calm as his grandson cried and tried to wiggle free. Hunter turned from looking at Will, to looking at the Rabbi, holding Grace and Joan back.

"Let me go," Grace demanded.

Hunter laughed. He kept Gabe in front of him. "Take another step, any of you, I dare you," Ryan challenged. After hearing the commotion, Luke, Kevin, Adam and Helen had come through the house and to the porch, leaving Glynis, Lily and Lou to look after the kids. They had stood frozen on the porch, helpless.

"I swear if you don't let him go-,"

"You'll what?" Ryan cut Grace off with a chortle of laughter.

"Mommy!" Gabe tried to reach for Joan, who couldn't pull herself from the Rabbi's grasp because of the paralyzing fear for Gabe's life.

"Shut up," Ryan ordered Gabe, who whimpered. His body racked with sobs and deep breaths. He was terrified.

"Hunter, let's be reasonable," Will began.

"Oh shut up with the negotiating," Ryan rolled his eyes. Before Will could respond, Ryan aimed the gun at him and pulled the trigger. Helen, Kevin and Luke let out screams of horror as Will collapsed backwards. Grace had just broken free from her father's grasp when Ryan turned and aimed at her. She heard the explosive bang of the gun going off over Gabe's cries but she wasn't hit with a bullet. She felt the force of someone's body tackle her to the ground. Behind her, her father let out a stiff gasp as he fell, knocking Joan over with him.

Grace realized that, of all people, Friedman had been the one to tackle her. Before she could decide what to do, she threw him off of her. She didn't look to see who had gotten hit by the bullet but she knew that Will had been shot and that her father and Joan were lying on the ground. The others were making their way to the injured but Grace's mind was set on one thing; Gabe.

She saw Ryan's back to her as he stuffed Gabe into the van and slammed the door shut. She was just about to the van when someone's arms stopped her.

"What are you doing?" Grace tried to bypass Collier as Ryan revved up the engine.

"If you go in there, he'll kill you and Gabe on the spot," Collier told her.

Grace struggled to get free as the van took off. "Let me go!" She screamed. She kicked his legs out from under him and ran a few feet after the van but it was too late and Grace was afraid to turn around and face who else she was going to lose.

Finally, she turned around. Helen approached Joan frantically. Joan sat up, holding the side of her forehead. "I'm okay, it just grazed me!" She assured, waving her mother to go to her father. Luke was already leaning over Will, pressing hard into Will's side, trying to stop his father from bleeding. Kevin had wheeled inside and was on the phone explaining that an officer was down and another wounded, to send help now.

Adam was at Joan's side. Joan brushed him off and rolled the Rabbi onto his side. She mimicked Luke, pressing hard onto the Rabbi's shoulder and chest area and ignoring the searing pain from where the bullet had grazed her temple. Adam helped as best as he could. Grace numbly made her way to her father and took over for Joan. Joan looked up to see Collier, standing there, staring sadly at the seen before him.

Joan gritted her teeth. _Him…this was his fault,_ she thought. She stood up and marched to him. Before he even saw her coming she knocked him right onto his back in the middle of the street with a right hook. She straddled his stomach and wrapped her bloody hands around his neck. He stared at her pitifully.

"Where's my son?" Joan demanded. Adam looked up when he heard her. He didn't know what to do. What was Ryan going to do to Gabe? How did this happen? "Where is he?" Joan demanded again, landing another punch to Collier'ss nose.

"Jane!" Adam went into the middle of the street now as the sirens closed in. He wrapped his arms around Joan's waist and pulled her off of Collier.

"I don't know," Collier said sorrowfully.

"Liar!" Joan fought against Adam. "Why didn't you warn us? Why didn't God warn us? Are we not good enough? We do everything he asks and he still wants my son to suffer? Well fuck you!" Joan swung her leg and landed a kicked to Colliers face, knocking him over again.

"Stop it…stop it," Adam pleaded. "This won't help us find Gabe…" He said weakly through tears. Joan seemed to deflate to sobs now. He dad was lying there, dying. So was Grace's dad. And now the most evil person Joan knew; the man closest resembling the world's image of Satan, had her son in his clutches. Adam was barely able to hold Joan up as she collapsed back against him, shaking with sobs while the paramedics worked frantically to load the two injured men into the ambulances and get them to the emergency room right away. Squad cars loaded everyone, including the kids, up and escorted them at nearly 70 miles per hour to the hospital where they sat in the waiting room; they had been given scrub shirts and pants to change into since most of them were covered in someone's blood or their own. Joan had gotten two butterfly bandages to hold the gash on her temple closed. Collier had been taken back to fix a broken nose thanks to Joan.

* * *

They huddled together numbly in the hard plastic chairs. No one spoke. Occasionally someone would utter a sob. There were lots of sniffles. The kids were scared and confused as the minutes ticked loudly by from the clock on the wall. Grace thought hard. Where would Ryan take Gabe? Where would he hide? Think, damnit, he's trying to lure you somewhere. Grace racked her brain. 

It was nearly midnight when a doctor entered the waiting room. He held two charts in his hand. He had changed into new scrubs before entering the waiting room, but everyone noticed the blood splatters on his white sneakers and the tiny flecks he hadn't been able to clean off of his glasses as he came to tell them how Will and the Rabbi were. Everyone sat stiffly, preparing for the doctor's words.

"I won't lie to you," He said heavy heartedly. "The next 12 hours are touch and go…" He said. "They've lost a lot of blood. Mr. Girardi had extensive internal bleeding but we've managed to stop the bleeding and remove the bullet. We're keeping close watch on him but right now his brain activity seems stable. He's not out of the woods though. And Mr. Polanski," The doctor frowned. "I'm afraid the surgeons are still working on him. The bullet has deflated his right lung and scraped his heart. They're going to have to remove his lung; it's too damaged to repair. I'll keep you posted as I know more…" He sad glumly before leaving the distraught relatives to deal with what he'd said. The doctor heard their cries and muffled sobs as he went to make a vague statement to the press and to shoo the nosy reporters out of the hospital to the parking lot.

Grace rose out f her seat silently. She walked out of the waiting room. Helen watched her carefully with millions of thoughts running through her mind. Luke rose to follow her but Helen reached out a hand and stopped him. She thought she saw Judith in the doorway, following Grace with a knowing look on her face.

"Let her go Luke, she needs to," Helen said. Luke hesitated. "She'll be all right…" Helen said even though she wasn't sure. _She'll be his savior,_ echoed through Helen's mind as she watched Grace make an exit.

**

* * *

A/N: Chapter title from "Won't Back Down" by Fuel. So, there's the long awaited chapter. Sorry it took so long I won't make excuses, I promise. So what'd ya think? A lot went on in this chapter….**

**Responses: MDM79 – **Thank you! Ahh the Becky Coogan card, shocking wasn't it? Wait why was it funny? Because it's Chris Marquette's name or am I missing something else? Lol. I wasn't really thinking about it honestly. Joan and Adam are coming back soon! The millionaire thing was iffy for me but I did it anyway. Thanks again! Much love

**EBFR – **Thanks! Oh the kids. They are so much fun to write! Lol, you liked Gabe's intuition eh? (Me too!) That is a lot of money. I wish I had that much money! That's totally not just the apprentice theme, that's actually a song, but I can't remember who sings it. Anywhoo, thanks again, much love!

**Tiff – **Relax, it's an update, see, I kept up my end of the deal dude. No spoilers! I'm stubborn! I'm about to go read yours and there better be turmoil! Much love.

**Carol – **Thank you! Ah filler. It sets you up doesn't it? Becky, ah, that scene made me sad, the one in the show. How was the big scene that the filler set you up for? No comment on the killed thing. Thanks again! Much love!

**Sayxanything - **You'll see what it's about. I'll post it when this story is finished. Curiosity killed the cat you know! Wow, that sounds like a workout, beating people down to get to class! Fic: Thanks! Thanks and Thanks! A blast from the past indeed! The case will come into focus later, obviously, after this chapter. Was that Earth shattering enough for you? Go one shots! Thanks again, much love!

**Sam – **Thank you! I didn't keep the down time for long. Was it satisfying? Thanks about the Becky thing. Haha, I hoped someone would laugh at that as much as I did. I'm horrible with the geek speak. I know nothing scientific! Thanks again! Much love!

**Hezziebob182 – **Thanks dude! Thanks about the Becky thing. I'm glad everyone loves the kids! Lol, sorry bout your sanity! This is what happens, ya like it? Much love!

**Magentabear – **Lol you got a double dose! Glad you liked. I loved the God scene in Ch. 5 too, very much in fact. I thought that would be the way Joan would react to the money thing! Lol, much love!

**K Wolf – **Dude…RELAX! Breathe, yo. Lol it is unfair that he made that much money. I totally wish I could win the powerball, then I'd be rolling in it! Thanks. Hate ya back. Violence to you!

**Special thanks to Toni, who's caught up to chapter one and reviewed it! I hope you still like it when you get to this point! Much love! **

**There you have it, do with it what you will…!**


	8. The Moment When I've Had Enough

**Rating:** T-M as always just in case.  
**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.  
**A/N:** Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)

**

* * *

Chapter 8 – You'll Know Just The Moment When I've Had Enough  
**

**September 8th, 2015, Tuesday **

The ICU waiting room was eerily quiet. Lily and Kevin had taken Caleb and Katie to their first day of school despite their apprehensions. Two squad cars were place outside the school to guard them at all times. After dropping Caleb and Katie off, Lily and Kevin brought Mac, Lara, Justin and Brynn to the daycare center, where she stayed. Another squad car was placed directly outside of the daycare center. Kevin returned to the hospital with food for Helen, Adam, Luke, Joan, the nurses, Collier-who had been staying in the regular waiting room and getting regular updates on Will and the Rabbi's condition-and Dominique, who had shown up when she saw what had happened on the news. She had the same blood type as Will, and so had been one of those who had given blood for him.

Mostly everyone picked at their food out of necessity. Grace had no returned since she'd left in the early morning hours. She had called to tell Luke she was all right and to see if the kids were okay. She apologized to him and tried to explain why she left but Luke told her just to take her time.

"How's she doing?" Luke asked Adam after he'd gotten off the phone with Grace.

Adam's face was weary. His frown had been permanent, for obvious reasons, and his brow hadn't ceased being creased with worry. He shook his head at Luke's question as he looked across the room to the corner where Joan was sitting. Joan stared off into space. Her eyes barely blinked and she chewed absently at her nails, which were already chewed raw down to her fingers; a couple of them were close to bleeding. Her eyes were puffy with dark bags under them. Her nose was red from all the sniffling and crying. She was walking the fine line between shock and a catatonic state.

"We're gonna find him," Luke said firmly as he looked at Joan. Helen sat down adjacent to Joan and offered her sandwich. Joan barely moved a muscle as she declined. Adam just nodded numbly to Luke's statement as he watched Joan. When your father-in-law is the most notable detective in Arcadia and your brother-in-law is a former FBI agent, you know the odds of finding a child alive after they've been kidnap; especially so if your child is kidnapped by Satan's lackey.

* * *

Grace didn't know where to go. She'd only stopped home to grab her jacket since a cold front had moved in, dropping the temperatures. Afterwards she started walking. She was unaware of what was steering her direction or where it was taking her; she simply followed. 

As she moved along the sidewalks and crossed corners, she tried to think of what Mr. Girardi would do in this situation. Where would he start? Grace stopped dead in her tracks outside of a thrift store when she saw one of the workers through the windows; it was Friedman. Grace's mind screamed at her. _He was there yesterday, what was he doing here? _She asked herself.

Before she thought better of it, Grace opened the glass door and walked through. She strode right up to Friedman, who was talking to his manager. He noticed her before she spoke so he excused himself from the manager and turned to Grace.

"Marge," He nodded. "You look like hell," He noticed.

"I don't have time to waste words, Friedman," Grace said seriously. "What were you doing out front of my house?" She looked him directly in the eyes.

Friedman looked away and at his feet. "About that-,"

"I swear if you give me some cryptic riddle, or you had anything to do with this so help me, I'll-,"

"I had nothing to do with taking the kid," Freidman denied in a hushed whisper, looking around for who was listening. "I was there…because I was told to go there…"

"Told by who?" Grace asked.

Friedman looked at her incredulously, "Who do you think?"

"I don't know, last time you came to us, you were in cahoots with Satan," Grace crossed her arms.

Freidman shook his head, shifting nervously. "Look, I was wrong okay…He's plagued me too since then. You're not the only one he preys upon. You know who sent me there. He sent me there to help you. I did my job, now it's your turn to do whatever you have to," Friedman went to walk away.

"How the hell do I find _him_ then?" Grace called after Friedman as he walked away. Friedman stopped. He turned around and looked at Grace sympathetically.

Friedman shook his head. "You don't find him…_he _finds you," He said before turning and getting back to work.

Grace felt herself sigh. She ran a hand through her ragged hair before decided where it was she needed to go next.

* * *

"Jane, you have to eat something…" Adam persisted. He had been trying to get Joan to take even a bite of the bagel he was holding out for her for nearly five minutes. 

"No, I don't, leave me alone," Joan threw a weary, shaky arm out and pushed Adam's hand away. He could tell she was ready to snap. Reluctantly, he nodded and moved to leave her alone.

"I'm going for a walk…" Adam told Helen as he crossed the waiting room. Helen nodded. Adam made his way down to the first level and the main lobby. He' only gotten two feet from the door when he was accosted by reporters. He squinted at the lights in his face as they hurled questions at him.

"Hey!" A voice called out. The reporters and Adam looked over. There stood Grace, in the doorway of the hospital, looking disheveled and dirty. "You've got exactly 3 seconds to get the hell out of here and have some respect." She said firmly.

"Ever heard of the first amendment?" One of the female reporters said. Grace clenched her jaw. If there was one thing she hated, it was when people misused the first amendment so they could get ratings for reporting on a human-interest crime story at the expense of the victim's family. She stepped over right in front of the woman.

"Unless you want to lose your job, and a more money then you'll make in a life time for causing this family emotional distress, pain and suffering, then I suggest you take your cameraman and your equipment and go outside this building…otherwise, I'll give you a new use for that microphone in your hand," Grace said slowly in a stony voice.

"Is that a threat?" The woman asked. Some of the other reporters had actually heeded Grace's advice and were heading out.

Grace crossed her arms, knowing the cameraman was filming her. She didn't care; they could use this on the news tonight for all she cared, so long as they left the Girardi family alone while they waited to see if Will would be okay.

"It's merely a suggestion…" Grace said. "Remember, actions have consequence."

The reporter would have persisted, but a security guard, who was alerted to the problem, came over.

"Miss, you'll have to take this outside, you're not allowed in here," He said, ushering the reporter out as she threw a dirty look at Grace.

Grace turned to Adam. "How are they?" She asked quietly.

"Mr. G's stable…they think he'll pull through," Adam told her. Grace nodded slowly, swallowing hard. "But your dad…They don't know if he's gonna make it Grace…" He said slowly. Grace pressed her lips together tightly and nodded just as slowly. Adam would have reached out to hug her if he didn't know better.

"How is she?" Grace asked him after a moment of awkward silence. Adam knew Grace meant Joan.

He frowned, looking down now. "Won't eat. She's almost catatonic…" Grace watched the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. He looked lost; Grace knew he was lost and she knew why.

"Why don't you go back up and get the update on how everyone is?" Grace suggested. "I'll go and get some coffee and all," She told him. Adam nodded numbly. What else was there for him to do? He turned and headed for the elevators. Grace went in the opposite direction, towards the cafeteria.

* * *

Grace mechanically picked things out; a few sandwiches, cups of coffee stacked in a cardboard holder, some sugary junk food. She was glad she was the only one in the cafeteria as she let the cashier ring everything up. She tried to think of places Ryan would take Gabe. She knew Ryan was out to get her. He had alluded to that before. But why would he take Gabe to do it and not her? Maybe, he was hoping to nix two birds with one stone? Take Grace out permanently, and take Joan out by taking Gabe out? 

"I find that the answers appear right in front of you…" The cashier said warmly, "When you stop over thinking it and get back to the basics."

Grace looked at the cashier woman for a moment. Her forehead scrunched and she looked around before leaning closer. "Are you…?" She asked the open-ended question.

The cashier smiled. "That'll be $12.65," She said. Grace handed her a twenty and watched the cashier as she waited for her change, and an answer. "Ockham's Razor, Grace," The cashier smiled, handing her the change. "Have you heard of it?"

Grace wracked her brain. Her mind felt like a jumble. The cashier simply offered a sympathetic smile.

"William of Ockham," The cashier spoke as she bagged all of Grace's items except for the coffee, all 8 cups of which were stacked in two cardboard holders of four. "He was a Franciscan friar, in the 14th century. He was also a logician. His, razor, so to speak, formed the basis of reductionism. That's not the point, the point is this," The cashier caught Grace's eyes. "It states the idea that one should make no more assumptions than needed. Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simplest, because the simplest, is right," She handed Grace the plastic bag. Grace was at a loss. She only offered a grateful nod and started walking off with her items. "Oh, and Grace?" Grace turned her head to look at the cashier. "You don't need to bargain with me to save Gabe…it is within your power."

* * *

Joan wasn't responding to anyone. She just wanted them all to leave her alone. Why must everyone keep asking if she's okay? Of course she's not okay! Gabe, he took Gabe. They were running out of time to find him. She knew the statistics; her father had given her coded lectures all her life by talking about cases and his days at work to her mother at dinner. Why had they let their guard down? How could she have let this happen to her son? What kind of a mother was she? 

"You thinking of taking a break from giving yourself those one-two punches long enough for some caffeine?" Joan looked up to see Grace standing in front of her, holding out a small cup of coffee. Grace wagged the cup slightly. "It'll help you stay awake to torture yourself longer," She offered, knowing full well that that's what Joan was doing in her mind.

Slowly, Joan reached out and took the cup. Grace sat down with her own cup, across from Joan. She studied Joan for a few minutes, trying to assess what she could from Joan's facial expressions. Grace knew that Joan didn't need another pep talk. She sat silently, trying to clear her own mind. _Stop over thinking it, _she told herself.

"What's the simplest explanation?" Grace asked herself as she stared at the floor and the cup in her hands, her brow scrunched in thought.

"What?" Joan spoke.

Grace glanced at Joan in surprise. She hadn't expected Joan to respond or even be listening. Grace opened her mouth but was then unsure if she should tell Joan. She decided two heads were better than one.

"I ran in to…" Grace looked around and then at Joan. "You know…" Joan nodded to say she understood. "She…or he, whatever sex it could be that's not the point. She said I was over thinking it. She said Ockham's Razor…uh, the simplest explanation is the right one," Grace said quickly. "So what's the simplest explanation?" Grace looked at the floor, concentrating.

"Collier," Joan said.

"What?" Grace looked at Joan. Joan was staring at the door of the waiting room. Grace followed her line of sight and saw Collier, standing there. There was a clear plastic mask strapped to his face, to aid in healing his broken nose. His nose and eyes were bruised and yellowish in color. He looked utterly miserable and, for the first time, Grace truly understood why.

Stiffly, Joan rose out of her seat. Grace noticed that her fists were clenched at her sides. Collier took a few cautious steps towards them. Joan looked ready to pounce. She made a move, and Grace stood, placing a firm hand on Joan's shoulder, to stop her. Luke and Adam watched from nearby, unsure what to do, but glad that no one else was currently in the waiting room.

"What are you doing here?" Joan asked through clenched teeth. The whole room seemed to just hover ceaselessly in the room full of thick tension filled air. Grace felt torn. She wanted to just tackle Collier and rip out any or all of his necessary organs for failing to alert them; for stopping them from being able to do something to save Gabe. She was fighting an internal battle; she also understood Collier's position. Collier looked devastated. His eyes were blood shot and it wasn't because of his broken nose; they looked like he's just put contacts in or like he'd just yawned and now his eyes were uncontrollably flooding.

Collier made a drastic decision. He crossed until he was in front of Joan and Grace. "Please," His voice was garbed because of his injury as he spoke softly. "You have to understand…I wasn't allowed to-it's the rules-,"

"Screw the rules!" Joan cut him off. Grace did her best to keep a shoulder in front of Joan's shoulder so that if Joan lunged, she could step in between the two. "I didn't ask for this! I was forced into this stupid game! That means I don't care about the rules!" Joan had maneuvered around Grace, grabbed Collier by the collar of his shirt and pinned him to the wall before anyone could react. Mostly, everyone froze, unsure what to do. "You can take the rules and shove 'em for all I care!"

"Rove," Grace put a hand on Joan's shoulder. Joan didn't bothering even brushing it off.

"Now, I know you know something about this and where he's taken Gabe. I don't care what stupid coded message you're supposed to give and I don't have time to get a decoder ring to figure it out," Joan punctuated this by pulling Collier slightly off the wall and slamming him back against it.

"Girardi!" Grace shouted this time. Luke and Adam were on their feet but hadn't moved from their spots. Helen was just coming back into the waiting room. The commotion had caused one of the nurses to watch the scene carefully with her hand on the phone, prepared to call for security. Joan didn't even react to Grace calling her the old name.

"You are going to tell me what you know and you're going to tell me right now or so help me…" Joan let the sentence trail off through her gritted teeth. She'd ignored the fact that she'd been crying since the first sentence. She even ignored the intense shaking her fists were doing. Her shoulders gave a few bobs and collier watched Joan's destruction. She weakly pulled her hands back and hit his chest.

"You think I chose this?" Collier asked angrily. "You think I want to do this to people? HUH?"

"This is my son…do you understand that? You can't do this to me!" She pleaded, staring right at him. Collier watched her face quivering around her eyes and her mouth. He felt trapped. He shouldn't have been here. He was weak. Collier opened is mouth to answer, but the figure standing behind Joan caused him to stop.

"Joan, why don't you come with me," Nurse God took Joan gently by the shoulders and pulled her away from Collier. Grace tried to follow but one sideways glance from the male nurse stopped her in her tracks. Adam, however, followed, helping to supports Joan's weight as she let loose and cried harder. Helen and Luke exchanged glances. Grace looked at Collier and then Luke.

"Why don't you go see your dad?" She asked Luke weakly. Luke eyed her for a moment but nodded.

"I'll go with you," Helen put an arm around Luke as they started to leave. Luke stopped and gave one last look at Grace over his shoulder. He felt a knot in growing in his stomach. Grace looked over at him. What was that in her face? He gave her the same look back; I love you, that's what it was-without words.

Collier moved to shuffle out of the room. Grace reached out an arm and stopped him. "You're no going anywhere yet," She said.

"Grace-,"

Grace held a hand up to silence him. "Shut up," She said. Collier looked down. "What do you know?" She asked calmly.

"Grace-,"

"I'll ask you one more time…" Grace waited for him to look at her. "And then my patience is gone,"

Collier bit the edge of his lip. He leaned close to Grace's ear. "The last time Ryan was in Maryland, he went to a specific place…where he rid himself of your neice's mother," He said.

Grace looked at Collier, confused about what that had to do with anything. It only added to her worry; bringing to light the fact that Ryan was nothing more than a psychopathic murderer who was in possession of her nephew.

"What does that have to do with-,"

"What do they say about murderers…returning to the scene of a crime?" Collier muttered just loud enough for Grace to hear. He saw her pupils dilate in realization. He nodded. He couldn't tell her anymore. He didn't need to; Grace was already gone from the waiting room by the time he'd finished blinking.

**

* * *

September 12th, 2015, Saturday.**

Grace had spent three agonizing days trying to find a news article that had the address or even the section of Maryland where Anneliese used to live with her mother. She fended Luke off from discovering what she was doing; he probably would have persisted in finding out what she was doing and insisting he came along if it weren't for Helen talking him out of it. Grace was still confused as to why she'd done this but it worked out for her benefit. It was bad enough Ryan was using Gabe to get to Grace, she shuddered to think about what would happened to Luke if Ryan got his hands on him.

After hitting dead ends, and becoming intensely agitated while thinking of the statistics the detectives kept feeding them about kidnappings, Grace did the only thing she could think of; She broke into Will's office. Okay, technically, she didn't 'break' in. She told anyone who asked that she had been sent by Helen to pick up some things. Grace had no idea why, but they'd believed her. Once she was inside, it only took her 15 minutes searching through the database on his computer to find an address. As she walked from the building, Grace wondered briefly if Luke was aware that his name was Will's password.

Grace made her way home. When she entered the house, she knew no one but Damage was home. Damage followed her through the house, happy someone was home finally to do more then sleep and fill his bowls. Grace let a hand pass over Damage's head briefly after she'd changed into some old jeans a long sleeve t-shirt with a t-shirt over it and then finally pulling her jacket over that.

She had just left the house when a figure on the sidewalk stopped her in her tracks. Slowly, she made her way down the steps and through the front gate.

"Grace," Dominique spoke first, cautiously.

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked shortly. She started walking. Dom followed, walking alongside her.

"I…wanted to see if there was anything I could do," Dom replied.

Grace fought not to roll her eyes. "I think you've done enough," She hadn't meant it to sound as harsh as it had.

Dom took the comment in stride as she looked down at her feet and the pavement while trying to keep up with Grace's fast pace. "I don't expect forgiveness, Grace…" She said. "I'm just trying to atone."

"Well, let it go. Now please leave me alone, I have someone to be," Grace kept walking until Dom jogged in front of her and stopped her.

"You'll falling for his trap and you know it," She said to Grace. Grace stared at Dom. "Collier told me what happened at the hospital-,"

"Look, you go have fun romping with the angel of death. Good luck surviving unscathed, we sure haven't," Grace tried to bypass Dom but Dominique stopped her.

"Let me go with you," She asked Grace.

"Back off," Grace demanded. "Go play Good Samaritan to someone else." She dodged around Dom and walked quickly leaving the woman to stare after her.

* * *

"Grace, it's Luke," Luke paced the living room floor with the phone to his ear and bouncing Brynn on his hip as she fought off sleep. "It's almost midnight. I know I've called you six times already, but no one knows where you are. I checked everywhere I can think of and I'm getting really worried. Please stop ignoring your phone and call me back just to even say you're all right, okay? I love you Grace…" Luke sighed and hung the phone up. He had at least managed to get Brynn to sleep so he brought her up and lay her down in her crib, next to Mac, who had already been asleep. Joan and Adam were over at Helen and Will's house, to stay with Helen for the night. Will had briefly woken up but was mostly out of it despite being conscious. 

Luke had just gotten back down the steps when there came a knock at the door. He inhaled deeply and sighed slowly. He took the few steps forward and then reached out, turned the door handle and opened the door. He looked back and forth between the two people standing in the doorway. Fear raced through him.

"What's going on?" He asked cautiously.

Collier spoke first. "No time for small talk. Grace is in trouble."

"What kind of trouble? Where is she?" Luke asked immediately.

"We don't know exactly where she is," Dom answered him.

"She went to Ryan," Collier blurted.

"What?" Luke shook his head in shock, trying to process this information.

"We don't know where he is…we only have bits of the puzzle," Collier said. Luke looked between the two of them before he finally stepped aside to let them inside.

**

* * *

September 13th, 2015, Sunday**

"Rise and shine sis,"

Grace opened her eyes, feeling dizzy. Her eyes felt blurry in the harsh ceiling lights of what Grace assumed was the basement. The cement floors were rotted and damp; they felt cold and clammy against her bare feet. Grace wondered where her shoes were. She briefly wondered where she was, but then the memory returned. She'd waited for nightfall just a half-mile up the road from the house where she now knew Ryan had taken Gabe. She'd caught a glimpse of Ryan through one of the windows earlier in the day. It had been agonizing to wait, but she'd managed to wait until the sun had been down for at least an hour.

She had gotten to the basement without detection when she had spotted Gabe. He was lying on a towel in the corner of the cold, moist basement. A linked chain was fastened securely around one of this ankles, and she could see blood around his pant left where he'd struggled to get free. His face was dirty, the only clear spots being where his tears had streaked down. She had only taken one step towards him when blackness had come; after she'd been hit over the head.

Now, Grace could feel the throbbing on the side of her head. She knew there was a bump and from the sticky, clotted feeling, she'd been bleeding too. She tasted blood on her lips, probably from falling face first after being knocked unconscious. Grace's eyes came into focus. She saw Gabe, sitting on the floor in his corner. He looked scared and upset. Grace tried to moved but she was trapped still.

She was sitting in a chair. Her arms were behind her back, tied at her wrists. She wiggled and wrung her hands together, trying to pull them free. He attention turned to the person in front of her when a shadow stepped in the way of her view of Gabe.

"Aren't you just the little hero?" Ryan smirked at her.

Grace turned her eyes upward. "You've got me here now…let him go," Her voice was hoarse as hung her head, trying to stretch her neck.

Ryan let out a bellowing laugh. He sauntered over and sat Gabe up by grabbing a handful of the boy's hair. Gabe let out a cry of pain as he started to sob. Grace struggled against the ropes. Realizing it was useless to let Ryan see this, she tried to figure out the best way to get out of the ropes. She wrapped her right hand tightly around her left thumb.

"You forget, dear Grace," He pulled Gabe to his feet. "I'm not kind hearted," He smirked wickedly as he tossed Gabe backwards against the wall.

"Stop!" Grace cried out before she could stop herself. Ryan laughed. He reached to his back and pulled forth a gun. It looked like he'd stolen it from a police officer. Grace stared at him. He spun it around his finger and aimed it in the air.

"Now what have you got to say?" He smiled.

Grace clenched her jaw. "He's only a baby…" She tried to stop her eyes from welling, but it was impossible.

Ryan laughed. "My, my, how soft you've grown," He turned the gun downward and aimed it at the side of Gabe's head. "You see what happens when you start caring about people?"

"No!" Grace choked out. "Stop it! You want to hurt me, well here I am!"

Ryan chuckled, his shoulders shaking. He cocked the hammer of the gun. "Give me one good reason why I should, and maybe, Grace, you'll die as a hero…and your nephew will live."

* * *

"We've picked up her cell phone's signal sir!" A detective who had been set up in Luke and Grace's living room called out. 

"Trace it," Agent Scott, the head FBI agent who had been chasing down Ryan since he'd escaped from prison, said.

"On it," The detective answered back. "The signal's pretty weak, but I think we can zero it in to a two block radius."

Within five minutes, the FBI team was mobilizing. Agent Scott called in for a SWAT team to meet them at the location. Luke followed them outside.

"I'm coming with you," He said.

"So are we," Joan said, coming to a stop next to Luke with Adam next to her.

"No-,"

"If you don't let us, we're getting in a car and following, so you might as well include us," Luke said angrily.

Agent Scott took a deep breath. "You," He told Luke, "Get in. You two, stay put-,"

"He's got my son," Joan argued.

"We're not staying behind. We're going to get Gabe," Adam commented as well.

"It's too risky," Agent Scott said.

"Then why can-,"

"He's been trained as an Agent. I'm doing this as a courtesy, now please," Scott sighed. "I will radio you as soon as we have your son," He assured before climbing in the car.

Luke turned to Joan and took her by the shoulders. "Joan, I promise…" He let the sentence trail off; she knew what he meant. Joan nodded, turning her head down as tears fell. Luke gave a reassuring glance to Adam, who simply offered a numb nod, before climbing in the car. Just like that, the FBI agents were gone except for a few base camp agents, and so was Luke. Joan sunk back against Adam, who held her tightly against him.

"They'll be okay," Adam tried to reassure both of them.

* * *

Grace stared at Ryan. She gritted her teeth, yanking as hard as she could at her left thumb. She bit the inside of her lip at the pain as she felt the digit pop out of its socket. She lifted her eyes to his. 

"The wrath of God isn't enough?" She asked. She felt her left thumb hanging limply, unable to move it since it was now dislocated. She hadn't expected this to work; she'd only seen it in movies where someone was tied up by the wrists and had dislodged a thumb in order to make their wrist small enough to wriggle free. Carefully, knowing Ryan was watching her but that he was also cocky enough to think he'd trapped her for good, Grace managed to untangled her left hand. Afterwards, she pulled her right hand free and stuffed the rope so it was under her rear so it wouldn't fell to the ground. She kept her hands behind her back, waiting for a good moment to strike.

Ryan snorted. "God's wrath? What wrath? He can't directly intervene! It would throw off his perfect system!" Ryan snickered. Gabe sniffled and sucked in air as he cried harder. "Shut up," Ryan smacked him.

Grace cringed. Gabe cried out for her as he landed on his knees.

"Gabe, it's okay," Grace said quickly. "Close your eyes, it's okay," She didn't know what she should do next.

"Oh, shut up," Ryan moved just enough to reach out and swing the butt of the gun and clocked Grace in the eye with it. "How Odd of God…to choose the Jews," He quoted next to her face as it hung down in pain. Grace lifted her eyes. She sucked back and spat at his face. Ryan sneered. He reeled back to hit her again and that's when Grace made her move.

She dove forward with enough force to throw Ryan backwards. She knew she wouldn't be able to grab Gabe and run, so she did the next best thing. She used Ryan's recovery time to throw herself over to Gabe, who no longer had a chain on his injured leg. Grace wrapped him into her arms, using her left hand to press his body into her chest and her right hand to hold his face against her collarbone and chest. Since he'd been in the corner, Grace used the walls to guard the other side of Gabe so that the only way Ryan would get to him would be to kill her; she had no doubts that Ryan would do this but it was all she could do as she felt Ryan behind her and the metal tip of the gun pressing into the lump on the back of her head. Grace clenched her eyes.

* * *

"Is everyone in position?" Agent Scott whispered over his headset. The team leaders surrounding the house containing Ryan, Grace and Gabe, answered back over their own headsets. Scott looked at Luke. "Can I count on you to follow protocol?" He asked Luke. 

Luke took a deep, shuddering breath. He nodded and accepted the gun that Scott handed him as he finished strapping on an FBI labeled bulletproof vest. He followed Scott's team into the house.

* * *

"Do whatever you want to me Ryan…" Grace said. "I've known this was coming for long enough. But you know this isn't right. You're doing to him worse things then our mother did to you-," 

"You don't know anything about what my mother did to me!" Ryan yelled back as he pressed the gun harder into her head. There it was; the one button Ryan had that as push-able.

"You're not the only one who's been hurt by a parent," Grace tried to reason.

"Gigi?" Gabe asked.

"Shh, just keep your eyes closed Gabe, okay?" Grace asked him. She felt the gun in Ryan's hand shaking.

"I'm saving him from the failure of his parents," Ryan said through clenched teeth. "We're in constant war; parents and children. Parents always fuck it up. He'll be better off. He won't have to suffer the long years of the war that I have."

"The quickest way to end a war is to lose it," Grace quoted. She wasn't aware of how she'd managed to say it, she was terrified and certain that she would never make it out of this alive.

"You think you're smart just because you can quote Orwell? Is that it? Knowledge won't save you," Ryan growled.

"I don't expect it to," Grace confessed.

"No, you expect _God_ to give a damn about you and come to your rescue," His anger returned.

"You want quotes?" Grace asked. "God is the name we give our conscience," She said.

Ryan retorted.

"Why do you have to kill a child to make your point?" Grace asked. "My death's not enough?"

Ryan gritted his teeth harder. Grace realized that Ryan was having doubts. Was it even possible that Ryan had reservations about hurting someone? Grace closed her eyes tighter. He would lose patience soon.

"He deserves a chance to make his own decision…about whether he wants to fight the war or not," Grace reasoned. "You owe me nothing…but I'm asking you for this…isn't this a fair trade? My life for his?"

"Fine! Just shut up!" Ryan shouted. He re-cocked the gun. Grace took a deep breath and held it, holding Gabe harder against him.

A shot rang out and Grace felt herself scream. Gabe cried out. Something was wrong however. She opened her eyes; why wasn't she dead? Next to her cheek, in the wall was a crack where some of the cement of the wall had shattered. Grace felt warm liquid on her cheek. It felt like it was burning. How could Ryan have missed and only grazed her cheek?

Grace ventured a peek over her shoulder, turning only her head. Ryan was splayed on the ground; his legs were bent at the knees and under him. His arms were flung out, leaving his gun just out of reach of his hand. He gasped slightly, staring up at the ceiling as he coughed. Grace noticed the red liquid soaking through his shirt. She felt herself shaking as she heard the SWAT team moving into the room with the FBI agents in tow. She didn't move. She turned her head back and rocked slightly, still holding on to Gabe as she shuddered. Shock was setting in as the adrenaline slowly wore off.

"Grace…Grace!"

Grace turned her head when she heard Luke's voice. She thought she was hallucinating it. When Luke got close enough, he saw Gabe as well and the tears that were close to spilling over his eyes came cascading down.

"Gabe…Grace…are you okay?" Luke asked, reaching out for them as he crouched next to them. He pulled her to him, kissing the side of her head carefully and kissing at the top of Gabe's head as he checked over them with his eyes to see how badly they were injured. Grace looked at Luke blankly. Luke helped Grace stand. She wouldn't relinquish custody of Gabe to anyone. Gabe now had his arms latched around Grace's neck and his legs wrapped around her waist as she held him under his rear and around his back, disregarding the pain in her hand. Luke wrapped a firm arm around her and helped her out of the house, leaving the authorities to take care of Ryan.

* * *

The whole way back to Arcadia in the ambulance, Grace sat calmly and quietly on the gurney in the back with Gabe in her lap, clinging to her. Luke sat on the bench seat across from Grace, running a hand through Gabe's hair and leaving his other hand across one of Grace's hands. He hadn't bothered to wipe off his tears; they were tears of joy anyhow. 

Once in the hospital, Grace carried Gabe all the way to the room they were going to keep Gabe in to check over him and make sure he wasn't suffering from any major injuries or infections. Grace refused to leave his side or let go of his hand until Joan and Adam arrived. As soon as Joan had gotten the phone call, she'd hung up the phone and she, Adam and the others headed directly for the hospital, not asking about their condition, just needing to get there.

Luke stood next to Grace, fending off the doctors and nurses, and making sure Grace didn't collapse. She looked gaunt and tired, but determined. She brushed Gabe's hair out of his eyes and gave him a small smile. He still looked scared, but less scared than before. He just wanted his mommy and daddy; Grace understood that as Gabe clutched her hand. It also made her uneasy that Ryan was in the same hospital right now, even if he was handcuffed to a hospital bed while they worked to save his life. She wished they would leave him die; he deserved it.

"Mommy!" Gabe sat up quickly when Joan burst into the room, followed closely by Adam. Both bore blood shot tear filled eyes. Grace let go and she and Luke stepped back as Joan reached Gabe first. She sat on the bed and pulled Gabe to her. He happily threw his arms around her neck as she buried her face into his hair and neck and kissed him repeatedly as she cried. Adam sat down on the other side of the bed, hugging both of them closely, dropping kisses on the side of Gabe's head as well as Joan's.

"Mommy, I'm okay," Gabe promised, pulling back to look at her and Adam. Joan nodded, sniffling. "Gigi saved me," Gabe smiled. Joan looked over at Grace's disheveled appearance. Her eyes looked far away. They were barely open. Joan left Gabe in Adam's embrace and walked around to the side of the bed where Grace and Luke stood.

"Grace-,"

"Don't," Grace held a hand up wearily. "Not sure I can handle the sap at this point…"

Joan nodded, but reached out and hugged Grace anyway.

"You look like you could use a doctor…" Adam said, looking over Grace's appearance.

Grace nodded, no that Joan and Adam were here with Gabe. Luke gave Joan and Adam a nod and started to lead Grace out into the hall as Joan went back over to Gabe's bed. They had gotten a few feet through the hallway when Grace's legs buckled and she collapsed to the floor. Luke fell off balance as he tried to catch her. He ended up on the floor with Grace halfway in his lap, unconscious.

"Grace? Grace! Hey, wake up!" Luke shook her. "Someone help me!" Luke called out. Soon, a male and female nurse came up the hall and helped him move Grace into an empty exam room.

**

* * *

A/N: Well now…I think it's just about over, this journey of a story. I believe the next chapter will be the last (just a for warning for all you junkies out there…) Not too bad now was it? I know it was a little shorter than usual. If anyone wants to know who said any of the quotes listed email me and let me know or put it in your review. If you want to know more about Ockham's Razor, I suggest looking it up on Wikipedia, good site.  
**

**Chapter title is from "Stand Back Up" by Sugarland.**

**Responses: Em's Pride – **Thanks! Sorry it took so long to update dude! Thanks again, much love!

**EBFR – **Yes! Thank you about the song. You are correct and thanks. Sorry for the long update! Heh, yeah Collier got the crap end of that stick with the beating there. Can't blame Joan though, distraught mothers, right? I'm glad you liked the questions too! Thanks again, much love!

**Sam – **Thank you, thank you. Hey, I'm like TNT, I _KNOW_ Drama. Ha! I thought everyone was going to get pissed at me, for Grace being so sweet and stuff, at that part. As for the Price thing, I was trying to prove that Grace had grown up a little and knew better then to pick a pointless fight with someone far more pathetic than herself. ) Thanks again, much love!

**MermaidGurl95 – **You know you loved the cliffhanger! Thanks for the review! I'm glad ya liked it with its cliffhanger and all! Thanks again, much love!

**Kool-Wolf – **Wow, best I've ever written? Awesome, thanks. Although, that makes it hard to top with this one, well damn. I hate Ryan as well. Hey, don't pick on me for taking so long…or I'll take longer next time! Thanks again, violence to you!

**Sayxanything – **Thanks! Sorry for keeping you waiting! We'll see about Will and the Rabbi in the next chapter. Awesome about the goose bumps! How was the feed for the addiction this time around? Thanks again, much love!

**Tiffany – **Sorry I didn't get this up in time for you to read it on Monday night, dude. As I said someone got coffee, Grace was barefoot, and there was blood, see? Thanks! Everyone better be okay? Is that a threat? Hmm? You need to update now damnit! Thanks again, much love!

**Magentabear – **Why must I do such things to you? Because you know you love it! Lol I'm glad the butt implant question was too cute for words for you! Helen's dream was freaky wasn't it? Ahhh, good deal, about the other story! Thanks again, much love!

**Carol – **Thanks! I'm glad you like Gabe, are you happy he is unscathed? Glad you liked Judith, her message was supposed to make you feel that way. Babbling is fun! Lol. Sorry for taking so long! Was this chapter worth the wait too? Thanks again, much love!

**Hezziebob – **Thanks! Collier is the next best thing, isn't he? I always waited for her to smack God too. I took your warning into serious consideration…honestly I couldn't bring myself to kill Gabe because of the ramifications it would have on the characters. It's not time for that. Sorry for the delay! Thanks again, much love!

**Butterfly Dancing – **Update yo! Thanks. Ah, not all dreams are accurate and set in stone, just full of metaphors and stuff. I'm trying my best! To tear your heart out that is, ha! Just kidding, dude. Sorry for taking so long to update-ahem! You should update! Thanks again, much love!

**A/N: There you have it! Take it or leave it! But tell me if it sucked will you? **


	9. Right Now We Got To Keep The Faith

**Rating:** T-M as always just in case.  
**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.  
**A/N:** Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)

**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Right Now We Got To Keep The Faith**

**September 14th, 2015, Monday**

"Hey…" Joan said quietly when Grace lazily opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust.

"Hey," Grace's voice came out barely above a whisper as she arched her back slightly to stretch. She felt like a train had run over her skull. Her right eye was sore, from getting pistol whipped by Ryan she knew. She could feel the soreness in her left hand from the dislocated thumb they'd relocated back into place. Now there was an ace bandage wrapped around her wrist, mostly immobilizing her thumb to limit its range of motion. Grace could also feel the IV line that was in the back of her right hand as well; It was one of the things she hated most about hospitals.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again, looking at Joan. Joan sat in a chair that was pulled close to Grace's bed. She sat on the edge of the chair and Grace ad been pretty sure when she was first coming to that Joan had been holding her hand. Before she'd opened her eyes, she'd been positive that it wasn't Luke's hand holding hers but as the cobwebs fought to clear, she couldn't figure out whose it was. Joan looked at her lap now, nervously.

Grace studied Joan's disheveled appearance for a few minutes. Joan did look much better then she had been, now that Gabe was safe; but she still had bloodshot eyes with dark bags under them, she looked anxious and was wringing her hands together and her chin wavered. Grace knew that chin waver.

"I just woke up, Girardi…" Grace mumbled, trying to conceal a smirk, "it's too soon for me to process the water works…"

Joan offered a snort and a small amount of chortling. "It's been a long time since I got that name…" She said.

Grace offered up half a smirk, "That's because you didn't hear me a few days ago…you were too busy preparing to castrate Collier," She lolled her head to the side so her left cheek was resting against her shoulder.

Joan nodded slowly. "I was a little…um…"

"Desperate?" Grace supplied. Joan nodded.

"Listen, Grace-,"

"Oh no you don't…" Grace held her left hand up. "Still too early."

Joan nodded, looking at her hands again.

"How's Gabe?" Grace changed the subject.

"He's okay. They're going to keep him over night, just to be sure," Joan replied. Grace nodded. Joan looked at her lap and then looked back at Grace.

"It's my dad isn't it?" Grace asked meekly. She wasn't sure if she could handle the answer after the past couple of months really.

Joan nodded. "They're keeping him in a medical coma," She cleared her throat. "His brain activity is good, and they think he'll recover, b-but they have to keep him sedated and unconscious…to try and give his body time to heal itself uninterrupted."

Grace nodded, closing her eyes to take this answer in; she had been expecting Joan to tell her that her father was dead. The guilt at choosing to go for Gabe instead of keeping vigil with her father had been eating away at her since he'd gotten shot.

"And your dad?" Grace finally asked.

Joan pursed her lips together and took a deep breath, "He came out a little lucky…" She said. "He's got some rehabilitation to go through and he'll be out of work for a while…but he's been awake…and alert. He's been asking about Gabe, you and your dad and Ryan a lot."

"Is Ryan still…" Grace looked alarmed.

"He's handcuffed, arms and feet, to his bed," Joan spoke quickly. "I inspected personally. He's on a ventilator. But he's coherent and pissed off," Joan cleared her throat. "They're taking him in as soon as he's well enough."

"They should've let him die…" Grace muttered, taking a deep breath and regretting the words immediately; you're not supposed to wish death on anyone, even the spawn of Satan.

"Oh please, no need to convince me of that either," Joan confessed. Grace looked at her and saw the same guilty look on Joan's face that Grace was pretty sure was on her own.

"Where's the geek?" Grace asked, trying unsuccessfully to mask that she was in desperate need of being near Luke and not just curious as to his whereabouts. Joan saw right through this and Grace knew it; she just didn't care.

"He went to pick…something up," Joan nodded.

Grace gave Joan an odd look but shrugged. "What are you doing in here anyway?" She asked. Joan looked at her. "You should be with Gabe."

"Adam and my mom are in with him," Joan spoke up. "I…didn't want you to wake up alone, you know while Luke was gone," She cleared her throat, waiting for Grace's onslaught.

Grace offered a half smile. "Well, you've done your duty. I'm awake now and squared away. Go," She shooed Joan out. "Smother him like always," She called as Joan cast one last glance at Grace on her way out.

* * *

Grace sighed as she relaxed back against the pillows propped behind her head and shoulders. She used her left hand to rub some of the tension out of her forehead before lolling her head back and forth a few times, trying to get comfortable. She opened her eyes when she heard the door to her room click open. 

"Hey, see, I told you mommy would be awake," Luke smiled to Lara as she giggled happily and nodded, reaching her chubby little hand out and flexing her fingers for Grace.

Grace was startled for a second, but she quickly recovered and opened her arms out as Luke crossed the room. He leaned down and carefully dropped Lara into Grace's arms.

"Oh, hey bug," Grace planted a well-placed kiss on Lara's cheek just before Lara hugged her tightly. Grace hadn't liked the idea of using nicknames and baby talk with the kids, but she had given up after everyone refused to oxide by her rule; and besides, Bug had been Lara's first word, why not use it against her for life?

Content that she was now in her mom's arms, Lara promptly stuff her thumb in her mouth and put her head on Grace's shoulder. Grace wasted no time in combing her hand through Lara's soft hair and along he toddler's back. She looked at Luke.

"They wouldn't let me bring any child under a year in," Luke explained before Grace could ask. "She's with Lilly," He assured. Grace gave a nod of acceptance but continued to stare at him. "What?" Luke asked when he noticed her gaze.

Grace shook her head, "Nothing," she turned her attention back to Lara. "I need you to go into my phonebook when you get home. And uh, look for Becky's number. She called, after Gabe was on the news. I have a lot to do for her case…and I want to make sure she's okay, her husband-," Grace stopped when Luke put his hand on her arm.

"I already talked to her," He replied. Grace looked at him quizzically. Luke averted his eyes and spoke. "She ran into me in the lobby," He cleared his throat.

Grace narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Luke, "She's here at the hospital?" Grace asked. Luke cleared his throat and nodded, looking up from his lap and turning his attention to stare at Lara intently. Grace tried to read his expression, and then it hit her. "What happened?"

"Grace, look," Luke inhaled a deep breath and stood, "I'll go check on them again and let her know that as soon as you're well enough-,"

Grace sat up and grabbed Luke's arm before he could step out of her reach, careful not to jostle Lara too much.

"Luke, what did he do to them?" Grace demanded; she had a pretty good idea that it at least involved violence.

Luke turned his gaze down to Lara again. He slowly sat down, biting at the corner of his lip. "Her…husband attacked them," Luke cleared his throat, "Her oldest son, stepped in when he tried to drown the younger one…in, in the tub…" Luke's gaze remained fixed on Lara; he was trying to figure out what could posses a man to attack his own child. He finally relinquished his line of sight to Grace's eyes. She was staring at him and he knew what it meant; she wanted to know what the damage was.

Luke drew a deep breath and looked at Grace solemnly. "The older son…uh, Derek…He uh, he didn't make it," Luke looked down at his daughter again, reaching out this time to graze his hand down Lara's back as she slumbered. "The father, uhm, he bashed Derek's head repeatedly…on the toilet seat. And uhm, Becky, she was unconscious during most of it…she came to and found her husband holding the uhm…Dylan's head under again…Derek was already dead…" Luke watched Grace for her reaction. Grace's eyes had widened but she was listening intently, for the full rundown. "They said she beat him with a plunger until he followed her into their bedroom and she shot him, when he came after her."

Grace nodded, breathing a shaky breath. "And Dylan?" She asked.

"They sad he'll be okay. They're keeping him for observation. The police are waiting to get Becky's statement," Luke replied.

"I need you to go down there right now," Grace spoke up, "Tell her to make sure she doesn't speak to anyone about what happened until I'm there, got it?"

Luke nodded. "Okay," he said.

"Go, go now, please," Grace insisted. Luke gave a last lingering look before rising to his feet and heading out of the room.

**

* * *

January 3rd, 2016, Sunday**

"We're back!" Grace called out as she entered the front door of her house. Becky was close behind her with Dylan in her arms, resting on her hip. Grace put her things down and Becky and Dylan shed their jackets.

"Mama!" Lara cried happily, darting out from the living room with her arms open wide, trailing only a stuffed puppy in her hand by its ear. She giggled happily as Grace crouched to pick her up.

"Come here you," Grace said as she stood back up with Lara. "Where's daddy?" She asked. Lara reached her empty hand out and pointed a sticky finger towards the kitchen. Grace nodded and gave a wave of her head for Becky and Dylan to follow. "Hey, what did I say about jumping in the living room?" She asked before passing the living room, where Caleb, Katie and Gabe were busy using the couch to play King of the Hill. All three of them looked up at Grace sheepishly.

"Never play king of the hill on the couch unless the cushions and pillows are on the floor and the table's out of the way…" The all droned mechanically.

Grace smiled as they started to arrange the cushions and pillows accordingly. "I thought so," She said as she entered the kitchen. "Hey, who said all of you could come eat my food?" Grace asked upon entering the kitchen to find Helen, Will, Luke, Joan, Lilly and Adam spread out sporadically, all of them engaged in a specific task that would hurry dinner along.

"Hey, we're working for our grub," Joan piped up.

"I'm peeling snap peas, yo," Adam said from the counter where he and Lily were both removing peas from their pods into a strainer.

"Wow, and you're only how old there Rain Man?" Grace retorted.

"Ha…Ha," Adam sarcastically replied.

"Everyone, you remember, Becky? Becky, you remember everyone right?" Grace asked, casting a glance over her shoulder. Despite it being cloudy and the sun being just about down, Becky still wore her moderately dark sunglasses to mask her damaged eye; she knew it made people uncomfortable.

"Hello," Becky nodded with a nervous smile.

"Hi!" Dylan said happily, wiggling to the floor from Becky's grasp.

"And Dylan," Grace said. Everyone greeted Beck and Dylan easily and he ran to join Adam and Lily.

"I take it the case went well?" Luke asked as he closed the oven after shooing Damage away so he wouldn't burn himself.

"She's cleared of all charges," Grace announced.

"Congratulations, Becky," Helen spoke up. Becky gave a grateful nod. She hadn't spoke much since Derek had died. Ryan and Becky's cases were coinciding in different courtrooms. Grace had only had to have Becky's case recessed so she could testify for a few hours during Ryan's.

"We listened to Ryan's verdict on the way back home," Grace said as she sat Lara on the edge of the island counter and stood in front of her to make sure she didn't fall. "1500 years without the possibility of parole sounds good."

"And you know, because he broke out before he's going to be isolated now under 24 hour surveillance," Joan exchanged a satisfied glance with Grace as Grace grabbed a piece of bread and started to tear pieces off for herself and for Lara.

"Where're the rest of the offspring?" Grace asked, inquiring for Brynn, Mac, and Justin.

"Napping upstairs," Kevin said as he wheeled into the room. "At least they were like an hour ago when Joan checked on 'em."

"Right, I'm on it," Grace moved and let Luke take her place in front of Lara.

"I can go check if you want," Luke said to her, stealing a kiss to the side of her head while everyone was occupied, chatting and preparing food.

Grace shook her head. "I need to change out of these clothes anyhow," She offered a smirk and a wink as she stepped from Luke's side and headed for the steps after giving Lara's tummy a little tickle on her way.

* * *

After changing into some old, trusty cargo khakis and a long john shirt with a t-shirt over it, Grace slid her feet into some worn in sneaker slip-ons-made by well paid adults, not sweatshop children-and headed for Brynn's room. By the time she walked in, Mac and Justin were awake and Brynn was just stirring. 

"Hey my future rebel minions," Grace grinned, knowing if the others heard her she would have gotten rebuked for her comments. "Who's ready for some dinner?" She asked as she crossed to Brynn's crib and picked her up, as she was just about awake. Justin and Mac each rubbed their eyes as they stood up from the folded bedspread they'd been sleeping on. Grace crouched down and scooped Mac to her other hip with her free arm, since Justin would be able to walk down the steps by himself, and heading back downstairs.

* * *

After dinner Kevin and Lily went home, since Caleb and Katie both had homework to finish before Monday. Helen and Will had decided to call it a night as well along with Becky and Dylan. A hour of so later, Gabe and Mac were both asleep so Joan and Adam decided to pack it in and they headed home; to the house around the corner that they'd acquired just before Thanksgiving. They headed out the back door and crossed the backyard where they'd taken down the ugly picket fence and shared the two backyards and into their home. 

Luke brought the girls up to their rooms and tucked them in. He walked back down the steps and was about to ask Grace what she wanted to do when he noticed her slouched in their cushy chaise lounge in the living room. Her head was resting on her palm a she leaned on the armrest. Luke smiled to him before managing to climb in next to her on the oversize chair. Grace stirred slightly and rolled to her side to rest against him.

"Being forced to live in a room by yourself and getting free food everyday isn't a horrible enough punishment for him," Grace murmured. She felt Luke nod in agreement and then continued. "And he already got out once-,"

"That's not going to happen again," Luke said firmly. "Especially without the use of his legs."

Grace considered this for a moment before letting herself relax a little bit against Luke. "Yeah…" She replied, not knowing what else to say.

"How's your dad?" Luke questioned through a yawn.

"They think he'll be strong enough to return home in about two weeks, but he'll still have to rehabilitation appointments," She replied. "Any news on Anneliese?" Anneliese had been missing since Gabe's kidnapping.

Luke paused a moment. "You know the body they found in the backwoods near her mother's house a couple of days ago?"

Grace lifted her head and looked at Luke. "Was it her?"

Luke nodded solemnly. "Matching dentals and DNA…"

Grace slowly put her head back down on Luke's chest. Luke ran his hand along her back. After a minute or two he felt warm wet drops on his shirt. "I'm sorry…" He told her.

Grace shook her head, "I'm a horrible person, brain," She said after a beat.

"What? Why?" Luke was confused.

Grace sniffled. "I'm glad it was her…and not Gabe…or Caleb…or the girls…or…any of ours…"

"You're not a horrible person…" Luke argued, "I thought the same thing when I heard."

"Sometimes it seems that way," Grace said quietly.

"Yeah…I know," Luke replied with a kiss on Grace's forehead. "But that's the thing of it, something may seem a certain way…but the reality is the opposite."

"What kind of Wheaties did you ingest while growing up?" Grace asked. Her head bobbed when Luke chuckled.

"What?" He asked.

"How else could you have such words of wisdom but from the back of a cereal box?" Grace mused, "or maybe a fortune cookie…"

"My brother would've been on a Wheaties box," Luke replied.

"What?" It was Grace's turn to ask.

"If it wasn't or the accident," Luke continued. "He would've been on a Wheaties box for being I don't know a pitcher for the Yankees or something."

"He seems pretty happy coaching Caleb," Grace shrugged. "Maybe some plans were meant to be derailed."

"Yeah, but that drastically?" Luke turned his gaze down to see that Grace was looking up at him.

"Do think I ever outright plotted my future to be married to you with kids in a suburban house-or to be a lawyer?" Grace quipped.

Luke gave a sideways nod of his head, "Touché,"

"Some plans are meant to be derailed and then tossed onto another track-for the train's own good…" Grace confirmed.

"Who's the fortune cookie now?" Luke smiled as he chuckled with Grace before leaning in to kiss her.

**

* * *

Epilogue**

Time passed quickly, in Grace's opinion.

By the end of the year, Kevin had successfully graduated to walking. It was only short distances like through the house, or around the office and he was assisted with a walker but by God did it feel good to be his actual height; to be face to face with Lily when she wasn't sitting in his lap or lying next to him. He was able to situate himself into a squatting position for an hour-long catching session with Caleb. He could lift Katie up over his head so she could pick apples from the tree in their back yard. He could feel it when Justin came toddling up and wrapped his arms, which were just long enough, around the upper part of his legs because he wanted to go wherever Kevin was going. To say Kevin was ecstatic was the understatement of the century.

While Kevin had made big strides, later that same year, Lily and Kevin had the rug swept out from under them when Lily found out that she was pregnant again; She lost the baby just over three months in. It took her awhile to recover from the shock of finding out she was pregnant and then the sudden loss.

In other Will made a full and fast recovery from his injuries, despite coming out of it with a few more extra gray hairs and went back to the force. Likewise, the Rabbi had finally finished his recovery and despite being a little slower and stiffer than usual, he resumed services, much to his congregation's relief. Helen, along with the help of Adam, had published the first of what would be a series of children's book with spectacular illustrations.

Adam shipped his art on a regular basis back to New York where, after a slight dip in interest and sales, his normal buyers picked back up, continue his success and the gallery's success. Joan decided she was going to work part-time so she could stay home wit the kids more often and get more done. She even spent time helping Lily out at the daycare center after she'd lost the baby.

Luke continued to work, after he opened up his own lab and ran a scholarship contest yearly for local high school students. He was currently working on an environmentally safe car that was more then just a hybrid, inspired by Grace's many rants throughout high school and collage. Grace had gotten the Maryland branch of the law firm up and running. She stayed on as a pro bono lawyer for needy clients who couldn't afford attorneys. She also kept as light a work load as possible, in order to spend as much time at home as possible.

Although it seemed like everything had turned out perfect, there were still many bumps along the road. It wasn't always easy, and there were always disagreements and squabbles; but that didn't mean that it wasn't worth it. At least, in Grace's mind it was well worth it, after all she had fought tooth and nail-sometimes literally-to get where she was in life. Sometimes you just had to keep the faith long enough to get through the night.

**

* * *

A/N: Aaaaaannnnd there you have it. Yeah I know it wasn't as long as usual. Shoot me. And yeah it got a little happy and sappy but can you blame me? I did a lot of torturing didn't I? **

**Chapter title is from "Keep The Faith" by Bon Jovi.**

**P.S. – Everyone keeps talking like I'm not going to write another story. Let me say, I am going to write another story. As for a sequel to this story…well let's just say it may be in the cards. **

**Help me out: I need you to leave me some good male and female character name suggestions in your reviews! As you can tell I like unique names for the most part so give me something original! Thanks in advance!**

**Responses: Em'sPride – **Ha-ha very funny. I picked up the sarcasm. Thanks dude. Thanks on the combining of different elements; I was a little worried I was jumping a bit too much. I'm humbled by your review, thank you. Thanks again, much love!

**Butterfly Dancing – **Thank you very much. I'm glad I evoked so many emotions from you! I know the password part was random, but those kinds of thoughts hit you when intense stuff is happening around you. I tried to write Joan's reaction based on what I thought mine would be, and then used words I thought she might use. A-ha! Grace did save Gabe! I totally gave that away in the chapter before though! Gabe is cute and innocent too. How bad was the ending? Thanks again, much love!

**Sayxanything – **Yes, over so soon. I wrote it a little faster than I was planning, but you know what they say about all good things. This…may or may not be the last story…I'm leaning toward writing another one. We'll see. Glad I helped the addiction. Hey, I can't help it with the cliffhangers; you know you love them too! I…am going to start another story that doesn't have to do with this. There's already a prologue done but I don't know if it will be a series, probably a short couple chapter story or so. Thanks again, much love!

**Tiffany – **I told you I wasn't mocking you! Thanks, specially, for putting up with my stubbornness, yo. Update your next chapter slow poke. Remind me to give you the quote info when you read this, dude. Wikipedia does rock. No I'm not ending this fast to work on the other story. Shhhh. That's not a fanfic, it's an original. Love the turmoil. You can still talk back and forth to me! Duh! Good work on the reviewers! Thanks again, much love!

**K-Wolf – **Dude, thanks, yo. No, Ryan's not dead as you found out. I'm happy Gabe's back too. Don't get too depressed dude. Hate you back dude! Sorry, I took long. Took me awhile to end it. I have a new story brewing already. The Prologue's already done in fact. Thanks again. Violence to you!

**EBFR – **Yep, it's over. Seriously. I'm sad too. I'm glad you had a great time though! I'm thinking maybe a sequel to this one. If not, then other stories. Thanks for your support dude! Thanks again, much love!

**Sam – **Welcome for the warning. Thanks about the chapter. I promise not to stop writing G/L fics until I'm good and ready. Wonderland Band or Sugarland? Sugarland is an excellent band. That is freaky though! Thanks for your support dude! Thanks again, much love!

**Carol – **I'm glad Gabe being okay made you happy. Worry not, Grace is safe…for now. I'm glad you loved the story! Thanks for the support! Thanks again, much love!

**Coveredinrain16 – **Thanks! I'm humbled! No prob on the up to date stuff, read at your leisure, yo! I'm glad you loved 6-8 lol. Gabe's interactions are some of my favorites! Grace grew the most for these stories, but that was kind of the point too. I'm truly humbled by the CBS comment, truly. Thanks for the kudos! Stop apologizing! Humbled again my friend. I'm sad to see it go too, but it's time, for now. As I said before I love long reviews so keep them coming in the future! I loved having Joan beat up Collier by the way! I'm mean. Thanks for all of your support, I appreciate it! Thanks again, much love!

**Hezziebob182 – **No need for apologies! Sorry bout the schoolwork and stuff! Thanks! Worry not, Grace is safe…for now. I couldn't kill Gabe…it was too hard. I almost tried. I didn't kill Ryan…I did injure him well though! I'm sad too! Sequel is possible. Thanks again, much love!

**Magentabear – **I'm happy Gabe is okay too. I just couldn't hurt him. I was worried people wouldn't like it jumpy, but it was surprising how much everyone did! I'm glad! Thanks for all the support however long or short! Thanks again, much love!

**A resounding thank you and I love you guys to all my readers and reviewers who help keep me going! (Except KW, in your case, hate you and violence to you!). I hope you'll stick with me for my next story, which is unrelated to this storyline, and also keep an eye out for a sequel to this one sometimes in the near future. Much love (and violence if you're KW) to you all! Don't forget to give me male or female character names in your reviews! Later, for now. **


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